Judge — July 18, 1903 — page 2: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "A Blessing" Cartoon Analysis This cartoon depicts what appears to be a Native American scene with settlers or workers and an overturned wagon. The caption features two characters named Casey and Cassidy debating whether Native Americans are "unintelligent" because "they can't count above tree." Cassidy responds that having a large family provides "some consolation," implying prolific reproduction compensates for perceived intellectual deficiency. The satire mocks contemporary racist stereotypes about Native Americans prevalent in early 20th-century American society. The "joke" relies entirely on dehumanizing caricature—portraying Indigenous peoples as intellectually inferior while treating large families as their only redeeming quality. This reflects the deeply prejudiced attitudes normalized in mainstream American publications of Judge's era.