Judge — March 11, 1905 — page 1: what you’re looking at

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# "Struck Oil" - Judge Magazine, March 11, 1905 This political cartoon depicts Kansas as a figure being struck by oil wealth. A large, aggressive character (likely representing oil interests or corporate power) punches a smaller figure labeled "KANSAS" while holding an oil can marked "TRUST." Two smaller men in the background appear to be opportunistic observers. The satire critiques the sudden arrival of oil extraction in Kansas and the threatening dominance of oil trusts—monopolistic corporate entities that controlled petroleum production. The cartoon suggests that while oil discovery might seem fortunate, the aggressive trusts controlling it pose danger to the state and its citizens. This reflects early 1900s anxieties about monopolistic corporate power, particularly following Theodore Roosevelt's trust-busting initiatives. The "trust" is portrayed as predatory rather than beneficial.