Judge, 1908-09-19 · page 5 of 16
Judge — September 19, 1908 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains several satirical pieces mocking magazine publishing and subscription schemes. The main cartoon "Foresight" depicts a doctor and Euripides discussing how long one must live to see a subscription offer materialize. "Hirsute Advice" features exchanges between a business man and various figures about magazine circulation tactics—particularly the aggressive promotion of cheap subscriptions (three cents) to artificially inflate numbers and impress advertisers. The satire targets the deceptive business practices of publishers who prioritize appearing successful over genuine readership. "The Making of a Magazine" shows how advertising revenue, not editorial quality, drives publishing decisions. The smaller sketches mock related absurdities like mustache-shaving testimonials. The overall point: Judge criticizes the fraudulent circulation claims and mercenary advertising tactics dominating magazine publishing of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
FORESIGHL 1 time to live, of your hy 1 handy in Hf you can't an extra supply ood Little ways THE MAKING OF A MAGAZINE. YOUNG man with a magazine under his arm penetrated inty a busy man's offi The busy ian looked up from his work, and with deft movement the ye f the m an spread open ra zine, the sulvertising, section “Must a momen 1 the younse Adve tising section of Promiseus's Magazine you know Promiscus's Mage wlicate of big advertisers 8 300,000" bought spa “Tm Sr en FRANKFURTER, AN “Oh, ma! look att AEBRIAL wed thot as soon as iver yer con Certainly not. Guarantees 300,000 Has 200,000," Needs 100,000 more, Makes followin Free subscription to first 100,000 subscribers, All ign? you do is s Ine “No. Certainly not. All you do is sign application. No charge. Simply write name on slip of paper. Mere formality. Subscription an item, In addition” “ But" “Certainly. In addition free edition of Ralph Waldo Emerson. These few pages mere . Splendid paper, type, illustrations, Re- Tibi without ex- you wonder"? samp! markable chance to incre: pense. Classic work. May “Tdo, “ Naturally. Edition printed by subseriy tion, Limited. One thousand copies, Mistake in office, Two thousand printed, Extra thou- sand can't be sold, Unfair to original sub- seriber. Decide to give 'em away, Inc circulation, Advance interests of literature eal docthunin” ae." Splendid oppor” *Lalready have a Cert edied, Substitute set of Wrov Hohn g HP don't orm “In addition this dictionary, Small, convenient dictic Ornament to table, Useful to whole family, Given to first two hundred * Anythings else? * Birst two hundred subseribers. No expense, ‘Three cents" Mistake in tend for ything arranged te office force necessary. fot intended. Ru ‘Thre J opportunity nt stenogg cents" Work nigh! | Why three cents?” day send bills for three cents three cents a day, y Very small sum, week with | “Oh! “Insertquarter, fourteen weeks, Ally utc oN Foolish t ominal charge for oflice expenses. tand, wou nd card to insert qu enty-five thingg yours with seripti nto Prom in De nw y erson or ( dictionary. The business m n looked stern eosaid in an And he Can also he made to keep the head warm, and THUD. he on off my musta yesterdd ticed. Kruwen In Quite a downfall, wasn’t it?” {THE sea of matrimony it is ¢ that the plaint of would-be divorce sthingg more nor less than the moan- ing of the tied, cur ot as an ornamental substitute for hatch, —ev ser the missi corrmont, comicbooks.com