Judge, 1909-02-20 · page 1 of 16

Judge — February 20, 1909 — page 1: what you’re looking at

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Judge — February 20, 1909 — page 1: Judge, 1909-02-20

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts two rotund, caricatured figures labeled "Little Teddy" and "Little Willie" in conversation before the U.S. Capitol building. The figures appear to represent political leaders, likely Theodore Roosevelt and a European counterpart (possibly Kaiser Wilhelm II, given the "Willie" reference). The satire concerns military strength and power projection. "Teddy" boasts he can "lick [his] weight in wildcats" (defeat opponents), while "Willie" counters that he can "eat [his] weight in 'possums"—a crude comparison suggesting America's confidence versus European military capabilities. The joke plays on contemporary debates about American naval power and international standing during the Roosevelt presidency.

📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

VOL. 56 NO.1427 FEBRUARY 20 1909 PRICE 10 CENTS -FLOHRI* T99 BY JUDGE COMPANY, PUBLISHERS, FIFTH AVENUE AND MADISON SQUARE. NEW YORK UP TO DATE Little Teddy—" | can lick my weight in wildcats, C. Q. D!” Little Willie—" Oh, that’s nothing; I can eat my weight in ’possums, P. D. Q!” comicbooks.com