Judge, 1900-02-03 · page 16 of 16
Judge — February 3, 1900 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This 1900 page contains two political cartoons mocking contemporary news coverage and American imperialism. **"The Starter"** ridicules competing newspapers' (the *Journal* and *World*) sensationalist coverage of the Boer War in South Africa's Transvaal region. The cartoon suggests newspaper reporters, not legitimate political causes, "started" the war through their inflammatory reporting—a critique of "yellow journalism." **"How He Lost His Leg"** satirizes American jingoism following the Spanish-American War. A man claims he lost his leg fighting with Admiral Dewey at Manila, but the punchline reveals he actually lost it on a Manhattan street corner—suggesting Americans exaggerated or fabricated war service stories to gain status. The humor mocks both false patriotism and the public's gullibility in believing such claims. Together, these cartoons critique 1900s press sensationalism and inflated military heroism narratives.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE STARTER. Pat—"* Who was it thot shtarted th’ war in th’ Transvaal, annyway?” Mixz—"' Oi dunno whether it wor th’ London reporter av th’ /urrmal or th’ Cape Town reporter av th’ Wurrsld.” ZOPYNGHT 1900 BY JUDGE COMPANY OF NEW YORK, Sackett Wilbeins Litho & Pg Co NewYork HOW HE LOST HIS LEG. Waywarp Newserry—' Yes'm; I lost dis leg wid Dewey. I wuz widin fifteen feet uv him when I lost it.” Mas. Primstock—"' What! at Manila?” ‘Waywarp Newserry—‘' No, ma’am ; corner uv Forty-second street an’ Fift’ avenoo— an’ it took me over t'irty minutes ter find it.” comicbooks.com