Judge — October 16, 1909 — page 2: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Judge Magazine Page Analysis This page satirizes the **rising cost of living**, a major political issue of the era. The left cartoon depicts a Western farmer complaining to "the Trusts" about inflated prices—eggs, corn, and wheat have all increased dramatically over 17 years. Judge argues that while the farmer blames trusts, **statistics show the trust-controlled commodities actually saw *less* price inflation than uncontrolled ones**, suggesting farmers blame the wrong culprit. The right column, "Pen-Points," discusses **Governor Hughes of New York** and the upcoming mayoralty election in New York City, debating whether city government should operate "under" the Republican platform or "on" it—a play on words about governmental philosophy. The bottom illustration appears unrelated: a ship and sea creature, captioned "Father Neptune's Conclusion: 'I'd better get out of this. I may be run down!'"—likely commenting on maritime or shipping concerns.