Judge — April 8, 1916 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes a amateur or community band performance. The title "Jigtown" appears to reference a colloquial (and likely derogatory) place name, suggesting mockery of a working-class or rural community. The humor centers on musical incompetence: one musician asks "What do we play next, Sir?" while another responds about "Sousa's Grand March," and a trombonist boasts "Gosh all hemlock! I jest played that!"—indicating the musicians are confused about what piece they're performing and lack basic coordination. The cartoonist ridicules both the performers' ineptitude and, by extension, their social class. This reflects Judge magazine's typical approach: satirizing working-class culture and institutions for educated, elite readers' amusement.