Judge, 1901-05-25 · page 7 of 16
Judge — May 25, 1901 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes Kentucky legislators during a state constitutional revision (date unclear from image). The main cartoon depicts a sophisticated Blue Grass judge attempting to persuade an anti-intellectual mountaineer legislator to support the new constitution. The mountaineer opposes it simply from inertia and ignorance—he admits he hasn't studied it but remains stubborn. The joke culminates when the legislator agrees to support the constitution only if it won't interfere with his farm—a absurd condition exposing both rural parochialism and the judge's condescending willingness to compromise principle for political expediency. Side cartoons mock other regional types: "The Virginia Creeper" stereotypes Black people as wild and untrained; "Craft vs. Confidence" and "Three Strikes" appear to be unrelated humorous vignettes. The satire targets rural politicians' resistance to reform while mocking urban sophisticates for accommodating their backwardness.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE MEMBER AND THE CONSTITUTION. KENTUCKY, famous not only for: her beautiful women, fine horses, and good liquor, but as well for the colossal crassness of some of her Solons, under- Saran Backwoops—" Lands! what a big tumstone !” sSent!a. much-needed, change, of consti SILAS BACKWooDs—" It is so. (Chewing reflectively.) Some _ tion not a great while ago, and many sto- justice of the peace er mayor buried there, I reckon.” ries grew out of the wrestling of the law- making hosts with the new standard of law for the State. Among these was one on a new member of the Legislature from the mountains. This Solon, supposedly for the reason that the moss grew on his back, and also that he had not given the subject sufficient thought to know just what a constitution was, opposed any change. Learning that the honorable member from the mountains entertained such views, Judge X., a member from one of the Blue Grass counties, sought him out to have a heart-to-heart talk with him, “I understand, Brother CRAFT VS. CONFIDENCE. Blank,” —you can’t see old acquaintances. said the Judge, “that you are opposed to the new constitution?” “Well, yes, Jedge; I reckon p'r'aps I am,” drawled the member from the moonshine districts. “But why are you? It's a good thing.” “1 reckon I been so busy kinder ketchin’ on that [ hain’t had time to look it up. I'm ag’int it, Jedge, but I hain’t pledged yit.”” The Judge gave him a stiff talk on the duties of legislators looking to the best interests of the State and the future good of the people, and the member began to think better of his opposition, albeit he wasn't so sure about the constitution. “ Now, look a-here, Jedge,” he said after hem- i ming and hawing awhile, “I'll THREE STRIKES. favor the constitution ef you'll «¢]T MUST have nettled Hit-” 4 7 agree to one thing.” hard to fan the air three y ASee 4 “What's that?” asked the times when he went to bat.” ‘d Judge, feeling willing to make a “Yes; I could see that he concession or two. felt put out.” “It's this, Jedge—ef I vote fer it it's got to run past my farm.” The Judge was almost up- set by the unexpected proposi- tion, but being a wise legislator himself he agreed to the mem- ber's request and made no ex: planations. wiasas J. Lamrrox. THE VIRGINIA CREEPER. (Virginia creeper—a little black pickaninny.) OFT the Virginia creeper’'s found Running quite wild upon the ground, It seems to need a deal of dirt, And by neglect it isn’t hurt. "Tis often trimmed but seldom trained . By gardeners it is disdained. CAROLYN WHLIS, NEVER EXISTED. Jaggles—" Are his characters drawn from life?” GOODNESS ONLY Waggles—“ Of course not. He NOSES writes dialect.” comicbooks.com