Judge — August 15, 1903 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Hard-Working Delegate" This August 1903 *Judge* cartoon satirizes a Scottish politician or labor delegate through crude ethnic caricature. The figure sports exaggerated Scottish features, kilt, and pipe while juggling multiple contradictory interests—literally "working both ways." The caption "He works both ways" suggests hypocrisy: the delegate publicly supports workers' causes (visible strike signs and industrial imagery in the background) while privately serving opposite interests. The skeleton and office setting imply corruption or duplicity behind the scenes. The small figures at left appear to represent working people or constituents being manipulated. This reflects early-1900s skepticism about labor leaders' sincerity and political compromise—a common satirical theme mocking delegates who claimed to represent workers while allegedly serving their own interests or those of management.