Judge — March 23, 1901 — page 16: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains two satirical cartoons commenting on urban poverty and homelessness. The top cartoon, titled "What He Was Doing," depicts two impoverished men arguing—one defending his unconventional hair-raising business (making camel-hair rugs) against criticism about his appearance. The bottom cartoon, "Before the Last Spark Burnt Out," shows two poor men in what appears to be a makeshift shelter or boarding house, discussing their dire circumstances and family situations. The dialogue emphasizes their desperate economic conditions. Both cartoons use exaggerated caricature and ethnic stereotyping (common to the era) to satirize working-class poverty, homelessness, and the desperation of immigrants or marginalized populations in industrial America. The satire appears sympathetic yet somewhat condescending toward these struggling figures.