Judge — August 31, 1901 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This Judge magazine cover from August 31, 1901 satirizes ex-Governor David B. Hill of New York's presidential ambitions. The cartoon shows Hill literally "handicapped"—weighted down by a heavy ball and chain attached to his leg—running in the "Democratic Training Grounds for the National Presidential Foot Race of 1904." The caption quotes Hill claiming he's "in good political condition" and would win the 1904 race "if I had not been fool enough to lock this awful weight to my leg." The "weight" appears to be a satirical reference to some political liability or controversial action from Hill's past that damaged his credibility or popularity, making him an unlikely Democratic nominee despite his political experience. The cartoon mocks his self-awareness of his diminished prospects.