Judge, 1918-06-01 · page 29 of 36
Judge — June 1, 1918 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is satirical commentary on political patronage and corruption in early-20th-century New York City government. The cartoon presents fictional letters supposedly sent to various city officials—the Board of Education, Commissioner of Street Cleaning, Fire Department, and Board of Charity Commissioners. Each letter humorously demands that unqualified individuals be appointed to prestigious positions based solely on personal connections: a newspaper vendor becomes Associate Superintendent of Schools, a bootblack becomes chief auditor, a furnace-tender becomes Chief of High Water Pressure Bureau. The writers threaten resignation if demands aren't met. The satire targets the widespread practice of political appointments made through patronage networks rather than merit. It mocks how ordinary citizens expected to leverage personal relationships to secure plum government jobs for themselves or associates—a common complaint about machine politics and Tammany Hall-style corruption in that era. The exaggeration emphasizes how absurd (yet commonplace) such arrangements actually were.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Jone 1, 1918 Politics From the N. Y. City Hall Mail Bag O the President of the Board of | Education—Dear Sir: The bearer of this letter has been supplying me with newspapers for the last twenty years from his stand on Bushwick Avenue, where he also carries an interesting side- line of lead pencils, chocolate lollipops, and marbles. You will therefore appoint him Associate Superintendent of the Public Schools and will take care to be guided in your policies by his advice. Otherwise I enclose a stamped and self-addressed envelope for your resignation. Yours, etc. To the Commissioner of Street Clean- ing—Dear Sir: Immediately on receipt of this notice please appoint bearer chief auditor in department and consult with him every morning on the management of your department. Mr. Angelo Perotti is eminently qualified, having for the last ten years daily polished my boots on his popular stand near Myrtle Avenue and attended to such half sole repairs as have arisen in connection with the children’s shoes. Failure to receive your consent by return mail, will prove you to be much more unfit for your position than I thought you was when I appointed you. Yours, ete. To the Commissioner of the Fire De- partment—Dear Sir: The bearer of this letter is justly famous as one of the best- known furnace-tenders in the Williams- burg section, quiet in manner, and rea- sonable in his charges. I under- stand that he celebrated his fifty-third birthday yesterday, and I think it only the graceful thing that he be appointed Chief of High Water Pressure Bureau in your department, with a veto on all such action as may come up for your approval. Failure to comply with my request will confirm my worst suspicions regarding your incompetence for the position you now hold. Yours, etc. To the Board of Charity Commission- ers—Dear Sirs: I am writing this letter in duplicate, the other copy going to the Commissioner of Docks. It concerns one Jabez Jones, a second cousin of one of my brothers-in-law, who is now on his way from Kalamazoo with the intention of making his permanent home in Brook- Nickel-plate 3 Ins, Wizard Repeating LIQUID PISTOL Will stop the most vicious (or man) without permanent injury. Pevtectiy sate to carry without danger of leakage. Rirsant recharges by pulling the trieget.| Loads from any thou. fo cartridges required. Over 6 shots S207 soul oe. haber wovored Maat srter or pesiage stamps, ne sets. Parker Stearns & Co., 294 Shelfield Ave., Dept. E, Brooklys, N.Y. Pintels Sie. Money L. DOUGLAS “THE SHOE THAT HOLDS ITS SHAPE” $3 935084 $4.50 55 $6 $7 @§ You can save money by wearing > I he, WwW. L. Douglas shoes. The best on known shoes in the world. The ac- ¢; tual value is determined and W.L. * Douglas name and the retail price d on the bottom before the shoes leave the factory, which arantees their value and abso- fately protects you agai ainst high prices and unreasonable Profits. The quality of W. L. Douglas product is guaranteed by more than 40 yearsex- perience in making fine shoes. The smart styles are the leaders in the fashion centres, of basis They Ercan a a wel Beste a Wea factory at Brocxton, [Viass., by the highest paid, skilled shoemakers, under the direction and supervision of experienced men, all working withan honest deter- mination tomake the best shoes for the price that money can buy. ‘Tre retail prices are the same everywhere. They cost no more in San Francisco than they do in New York. They are always worth the price paid for them. CAUTION — Before you ber be sure W. L. Douglas name and the retail price tamped on the bottom and the inside fop facing. This absolutely protects you against high vices and unreasonable profits. BEWARE OF FRAUD, toe by ever 9000 shoe dealers and 105 W.L-Douglasstores. If not conven y its Soteezatte L.Douglasstore,ask your! ‘forthem. Takeno oth: 72 = = make. Wi booklet, showing how to cas by mati postage fre THE GROWTH OF THE W.L.DOUGLAS SHOE CO. aident W. L. DOUGLAS SHOE Copyright,W.L Dougles ShoeCa, 145 Spark St., Brockton, Mass. BOYS SHOES lyn. You will kindly see that a vacancy is found on your Board. I am sending similar instructions to the Park Commis- sioner. As soon as possible after Mr. Jabez Jones’s arrival I shall determine whether his talents best fit him for the Charities Board or the Dock Department, and shall notify you accordingly. Yours, ete. To the Mayor of New York City— Dear Sir: The bearer of this letter, Jim- mie Smith, aged thirteen, has just com- pleted the seventh grade in the elemen- tary schools, where his rank was between 65 and 72 per cent. You will kindly en- trust him with the powers of the Execu- tive the next time you are off on vacation, and so assure a continuity of policy and intelligence in this most im- portant office. Yours, etc., Fatuer KnicKkERBOCKER. —N.Y. Evening Post. Left It Anyway Wayburn—My uncle left $1,000 yesterday. Woodlot— it to you? Wayburn—No; left it on a street car. They Lead Brayton—I don’t think the medical profession has done as much to relieve suffering as some others. His Wife—What, for instance? Brayton—Piano tuners. comichooks elu)