Judge — July 27, 1912 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is the "Dog Days Number" cover featuring a dog with a collar and tag, sitting beside a bone. The caption reads: "Possession is nine points of the law." The cartoon likely references a legal principle common in 1912 jurisprudence—that actual possession of property provides strong claim to ownership. The dog humorously illustrates this concept: it currently possesses the bone, therefore asserting legal ownership despite potentially not being the original owner. The satirical point may also relate to contemporary political or legal disputes where possession determined rights—possibly referencing property disputes, business conflicts, or political claims of the 1912 era. Without additional context about specific 1912 events, the core joke remains the straightforward legal pun applied to the dog's bone.