Judge, 1909-02-27 · page 16 of 16
Judge — February 27, 1909 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This comic satirizes the presidential transition from Theodore Roosevelt to William Howard Taft in 1909. "Teddy Bears" reference Roosevelt's famous association with the toy (named after him). The narrative follows children attempting to meet the President's "right hand"—likely William Loeb Jr., Roosevelt's secretary, depicted as shocked and angry at their intrusion. The satire's point: Roosevelt ("Nimrod," a hunter) is departing office, taking his vigor and "Big Stick" (his famous phrase for forceful diplomacy) with him. Panel 6 mocks the transfer of power to Taft, suggesting the incoming administration lacks Roosevelt's dynamic energy—Taft's "trunks" are arriving while Roosevelt's decisive character departs. The "nation hails another man" implies lukewarm acceptance of the weaker replacement. Judge magazine ridicules what it saw as Taft's inferior leadership compared to the energetic Roosevelt.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ape LITTLE JOHNNY AND THE TEDDY BEARS. TT nt ll | ‘THEY BID FAREWELL TO NIMROD BOLD, AND FIND THAT LOEB’S AN AWFUL SCOLD. PO 7 NMEA LTT uy E°,8 Milt 2 They see the President's “right hand,”” well-groomed man with manners grand, And beg him see what he can do ‘To get them a short interview 3. Loeb ‘s shocked, like Susan at a mouse, 4, But as they jour to flee, ‘To see such beasts at the White House ; Who shoul So with a loud and angry shout, in the door to see His namesakes, but the mighty ‘Ved “ Dee-lighted "heartily he said. He orders John and ‘Teddies out 5. They ‘re ushered to the office, where His treasures sweet does Teddy bare; Gives photos from the day of old When he was a Rough Rider bold. 6. ‘They set off happy with their pelf, ‘The Big Stick ’s laid upon the shelf, Taft's trunks come in the moving van; ‘The nation hails another man. COPTIIONT, 1909 BY JUDGR COMPANY, PUBLIANERS, FIFTH AVEXUE AND MADISON SQUARE, NEW YORK. Because of the great demand for the popular large-sized “Little Johnny and the Teddy Bears” book, we have exhausted our supply. We have on hand, however, an attractively bound smaller edition, called “The Teddy Bears in Fun and Frolic,” which will be sent, postpaid, for 25 cents, on receipt of price, by Judge Company, 225 Fifth Avenue, New York. comicbooks.com