Judge — December 6, 1902 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Judge cartoon satirizes presidential candidates during an election cycle. The title "Sawing Wood" is a period idiom meaning to do nothing or make no progress—suggesting these candidates are all talk without substance. The crowded scene depicts numerous caricatured figures (likely representing various presidential hopefuls) engaged in busy but pointless activity around a woodsaw. The caption states they "ain't sayin' a word, only waitin'"—mocking candidates who avoid taking clear political positions while jockeying for nomination support. The satire targets the vagueness and non-committal nature of campaign rhetoric. Without clearer identifying labels in the visible text, specific candidates remain unclear, but the general critique of evasive electioneering is unmistakable. This reflects common Judge magazine criticism of politicians' tendency toward empty speechmaking.