Judge — December 6, 1902 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This December 1902 *Judge* cartoon depicts Uncle Sam preparing to slaughter a hog, with the Capitol building visible behind him. The signage references tobacco trusts and monopolies—"United Cigars," "Stores of Gigantic Tobacco Dealers," and signs about controlling trade and protecting consumers from "tobacco trusts." The satire targets big business monopolies, particularly tobacco trusts that were dominant political issues of the Theodore Roosevelt era. "Hog-killing time" is a metaphor for breaking up these large corporations. The cartoon advocates for antitrust action, positioning Uncle Sam as ready to eliminate what the cartoonist viewed as predatory business practices threatening fair competition and consumer protection.