Judge — April 15, 1905 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Great American Tobacco Hog" This 1905 political cartoon satirizes corporate greed in the tobacco industry. The central figure—labeled "Tobacco Trust"—is depicted as a grotesque hog seated at the "U.S. Commercial Table," gorging itself while displaying "Enormous Profits and Dividends." The caption warns against trusts controlling state cigarette and tobacco material imports. At left, Uncle Sam (representing government) watches disapprovingly from the Capitol dome. The hog clutches a megaphone labeled "Greed" while feasting, with a sign reading "Eat, Drink and Be Merry"—mocking corporate excess. The cartoon criticizes monopolistic business practices and advocates for states like Wisconsin and Indiana to restrict tobacco trusts, suggesting citizens should follow their regulatory example rather than allow unchecked corporate consolidation.