Judge — September 22, 1900 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes sensationalist newspaper coverage of conflicts in China. The dialogue between Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Smith mocks how readers cannot distinguish between legitimate news ("slaughter of missionaries") and trivial stories ("bargain-sale of crockery") when both are presented under sensational headlines about "slaughter in China." The sketch shows a woman surrounded by draped fabric (suggesting Asian aesthetics) amid luxury goods and furnishings. The satire targets both newspapers for irresponsible sensationalism and readers for their gullible consumption of exaggerated headlines. The cartoon likely references early 20th-century coverage of Chinese conflicts (possibly Boxer Rebellion aftermath or other anti-foreign violence), when American papers frequently used inflammatory language. The joke exposes how clickbait-style headlines obscure actual news value.