Judge — October 31, 1908 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Political Cartoon Analysis: "Taft Put It On Him" The cartoon titled "Taft Put It On Him" depicts a caricatured figure holding "Bryan's Record in Congress," likely referencing William Jennings Bryan. The figure appears distressed or burdened by the document. This satirizes the 1908 presidential campaign, where Republican William Howard Taft's supporters attacked Democratic candidate Bryan's congressional voting record. The cartoon suggests Taft's campaign strategically weaponized Bryan's legislative history against him—"putting it on him" as a political burden. The grotesque facial caricature emphasizes the severity of the attack. The artist (Grant E. Hamilton, per signature) mocks this campaign tactic as unfair or overly aggressive political theater, typical of Judge magazine's satirical approach to election-year politics.