Judge — December 28, 1912 — page 11: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical illustration showing a tall tower constructed from stacked inventions, each labeled on horizontal bands: locomotive, rotary printing press, telegraph instruments, sewing machine, cash register, watches, automobiles, and others ascending to a roof-like top. The cartoon celebrates American industrial innovation and patents as foundational to national progress and prosperity. The caption "DON'T DYNAMITE THIS MONUMENT!" appears to warn against policies or actions that might damage patent protections or intellectual property rights. The accompanying text (partially OCR'd) references how "invention has contributed the greatest blessings of civilization" and warns that weakening patent laws could harm "continued prosperity." This likely reflects early 20th-century debates over patent reform, with the cartoon arguing that strong patent protections built American industrial superiority.