Judge — January 4, 1902 — page 10: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This New Year's satirical cartoon depicts an elderly, bearded figure (representing the outgoing "Old Year") being forcibly ejected by a younger, winged personification of the incoming "New Year." The Old Year is literally told to "Go 'way back and sit down!" The satire centers on **early 1900s technological progress**, specifically the "automobile mower" mentioned in the caption. The new year symbolizes modernity and innovation aggressively displacing tradition. The winged figure and celestial setting emphasize renewal. This reflects Judge's frequent commentary on rapid industrialization and mechanization transforming American life during the turn-of-the-century era. The cartoon mocks how eagerly society embraced new technology while dismissing the past—a common theme in Gilded Age satire.