Judge, 1901-09-14 · page 9 of 16
Judge — September 14, 1901 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This two-panel cartoon satirizes resistance to technological innovation by drawing a historical parallel. **Panel 1** references Robert Fulton's steamboat *Clermont* (early 1800s), depicting public hysteria—women crying "Witchcraft!" and boatmen like "Dick Deadeyes" prophesying doom. The caption notes this seems laughable in retrospect. **Panel 2** shows early-1900s automobiles causing chaos in a town with an ordinance restricting them. Pedestrians, horses, and townspeople react with alarm and resistance. **The satire's point**: The cartoon mocks contemporary opponents of automobiles by suggesting they're as foolishly backward as those who once feared steamboats. It argues progress is inevitable and that future generations will ridicule current "fogies and cranks" (1901) for resisting cars—just as we laugh at those who called steamboats witchcraft. The cartoon advocates for accepting automotive technology despite public fear and resistance, framing opposition as inevitable but ultimately futile nostalgia.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
2. When, afew years later, Robert Fulton’s first steamboat, the Clermont, paddled up the Hudson, old women cried ‘* Witchcraft !”" while boatmen, sailmakers, and the water-folk generally, became Dick Deadeyes, croaking and prophesying all manner of evil. Yet, to-day—well, it makes you laugh to think of it! ‘s A BRAS * SWAMI |, STOP THR THEY MUST NOT IRON Bg IN Tas ‘TOWN WN WITH pove AuTOS i — _ 4. And now, at the dawn of the 2oth century, it is ‘up to” the swift and commodious automobile. If we imitate horses and shy at it, and call the chauffeur hard names, and fine him to th it, and show a tend to make it all up-hill work for the auto., isn’t it more than likely that the cartoonist of twenty-five years hence will lampoon us as “those silly ‘old fogies and cranks of 1901?" _E HAS COME TO STAY. Sacha Welnsita BP a Reno HE MARCH OF PROGRESS IS IRRESISTIBLE.