Judge — January 14, 1905 — page 16: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This two-panel Judge cartoon titled "They Let Him Buy" satirizes commercial dishonesty and judicial ineffectiveness. The top panel shows a judge observing street vendors operating a "Selling Out Cheap" stand while engaging in questionable dealings with customers. The caption reads: "Roman toga[?]—'I'll trouble you to let me go!'" The bottom panel depicts the same vendors now actively swindling customers with aggressive sales tactics. The caption states: "Corn Brokers—'Let you buy? Certainly! Come right in! No trouble to show goods.'" The satire critiques how merchants and brokers exploit consumers while courts and judges fail to intervene. The progression from observation to active fraud suggests judicial passivity allows commercial corruption to flourish unchecked. This reflects Progressive Era concerns about market regulation and legal accountability.