Judge — July 9, 1904 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "A Hole in the Wall" - Judge Magazine, July 9, 1904 This political cartoon satirizes immigration policy and border security. A "Protection Wall" (labeled as such) is breached by a hole, allowing figures through despite the barrier's intended purpose. A large figure labeled "Pauperism" penetrates the wall while carrying children, suggesting the cartoon critiques how protective tariffs and immigration restrictions fail to prevent poverty and poor immigrants from entering America. The cartoon's title and imagery mock the ineffectiveness of such policies. The "Pauperization Laws" label (visible on the wall) likely references contemporary immigration restrictions meant to exclude paupers. The satire suggests these protectionist measures are fundamentally flawed—the "wall" cannot actually keep out the poor or prevent poverty, making such policies pointless or counterproductive.