Judge — March 1, 1913 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "A Difficult Dance" This is the inaugural issue of *Judge* magazine (March 1, 1913), featuring a political cartoon about President-elect Woodrow Wilson and "Miss Columbia" (the female personification of the United States). **The Satire:** Wilson, having just won the presidency, asks to lead the tariff dance—a reference to the central economic policy debate of the era. Columbia (representing America) agrees but cautions him to "go a bit slow at first." **The Context:** The cartoon satirizes Wilson's ambitious tariff reform agenda, which he would soon pursue through the Underwood Tariff. Columbia's hesitation reflects public anxiety about radical economic change. The "difficult dance" metaphor suggests Wilson must carefully navigate this contentious political issue without destabilizing the economy.