Judge, 1911-10-28 · page 7 of 24
Judge — October 28, 1911 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical piece mocks upper-class pretension at a 1915 horse show. The cartoon contrasts two couples: wealthy socialites obsessing over imported automobiles and foreign travel, versus working-class visitors with modest vehicles. The satire targets: **The wealthy:** Marie and her companions endlessly discuss luxury cars, chauffeurs, and European automobiles, performatively displaying status through consumption and boasting about speed records and vacations. **The working-class:** "Hardtack" and his companion represent ordinary people who've abandoned farm life for modest American cars (a "Skidoodle"), content with practical transportation rather than status symbols. The "handicap" title suggests the wealthy are handicapped by their own snobbery and materialism—they're trapped in competitive conspicuous consumption at a mere horse show. The humor exposes how both classes are preoccupied with automobiles, but the wealthy's pretentiousness is presented as ridiculous compared to working-class straightforwardness.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE CHICAGO FLYER IN 1915. THE HORSE-SHOW HANDICAP. By CHARLES C. JONES. “MARIE, there’s that young Cashergot—there by the en- trance... . Yes, the black horses. . . . Yes, I saw her in his car at the aviation meet. ... He has a splendid machine. . . . I don’t remember—some foreign make. . . . I think they are, too. I only wish Ihadone. But Mr. Ton- rocks thinks the domestic the better machine. . . . No, that’s just the way I feel about it... . Tour? We intend to next summer. . . . It’s agood road car—there’s no doubt about that. . . . The Pester- felts did, and their car is an exact duplicate of ours. . . . Why, I’m sure it was all of a thousand miles. . . . Yes, they think so. . . . Oh, of course, our car would do it easily! I have a perfect dream of a chauf- feur, too. . . . Yes, hecan! We came from home in twenty minutes. . . . Time togo? Dearme! Time flies, doesn’t it? Especially when one is interested in so perfect an exhibition as this has been. . . . Yes, very much! Iwill. You come.” oe oe oe oe “Say, Hardtack, that’s a classy pair, eh? . . . No, not for mine, either. . . . Not since I left the farm. And the other half of that story is that I’m not going to ever again. «+. I've got a ‘Skidoodle,’ sixty. Great! . . . Best car on the market! . . . Nothing to touch it anywhere! . . . For- eign cars? Huh! Well, I just guess yes! Why, Idrove my comicbooks.com