Judge, 1919-06-14 · page 11 of 36
Judge — June 14, 1919 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Political Cartoon Analysis: "Its Only Fault" This satirical piece mocks American civic discourse through a simple premise: two men discuss merchants closing stores early to pitch horseshoes—seemingly wholesome recreation. The tavern keeper's response reveals the satire's target: these casual wagers spiral into community arguments about price-fixing, profiteering, government corruption, and historical grievances (referencing the "Crime of '73"—likely the demonetization of silver). Local politicians seize the moment to campaign with empty promises. The joke captures how Americans transform any minor disagreement into partisan bickering, with everyone "disgusted" afterward. This reflects Judge magazine's skepticism toward both business practices and political opportunism during the Progressive Era. The cartoon suggests that ordinary civic gatherings become occasions for unleashing deep economic anxieties and distrust rather than genuine community building.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
We » ex-trench veteran dear, to-night ['m expec nt Milly and j sleeping yard Its Only Fault Ry Tou P. Morcax T seems to me to be an excellent idea, this, of your at half past five evenings, except merchants closing their store: o'clock on pleasant’ week-da y Saturdays, and putting in an hour or two pitching horseshoe said the spectacled st. “Tt gives them the mild outdoor exercise they and a friendly association their bu competitors doubt i bene- need, with mutually that no ficial.” Probably it wou be,” re- the landlord of the Petunia tavern, “if they didn’t gamble and raise Ned so. For instance, every once in a while one merchant will bet another a quarter's worth of one thir half-dollar’s worth of something else, that he can pitch a ringer three times in succession, and when they come.to settle up, there is an argument over whether the wager was made at the cost price or the selling price of the article. “Pretty soon the outsiders get onto what the cost was, and they begin to growl and grow sarcastic Drown by Ray ons about profiteers and price hogs, and then some feller starts to denounc- plied or a ing the trusts, and the next thing somebody is cuss ing the government, and one oldest inhabitant is telling what he remembers about the outrageous extortions in the ‘6o’s, and another oldest inhabi ant, who remembers it all differently, lights into him, and they go round and round,’ loquaciously speaking. The town tariff expert begins to spout statistics, and an original Greenbacker recalls the awful Crime of '73, and all the Hons. rise and tell what they'll do for the people if they are elected to the offices to which they aspire, and so on and so forth, rip, snort, heckity-whoop, until Constable Slackputter along and yells at ‘em not to yell so loud, b’c are sick folks in the neighborhood. “And finally the session breaks up with everybody disgusted with all the rest of the confounded fools that won't understand the plain truth when you tell it to ‘em. In theory it is a fine function, but in actual prac- tice it is merely a big fuss.” comes there of the Palette ‘Howard Chandler Christy has one of the best apple or- chards around Zanesville, Ohio.” Fruit By Corixxe Rockwent Swary IPPINS and peaches; now if it be true, Art on the farm such proficiency reaches, Isn't it more than one gentleman’s due Pippins and peaches? As for the latter, a train of them preaches Sweetness and light, as they pass in review; Belles of the cities, the hills and the beaches. Adam tried both, but the project fell through, Lacking the skill that experience teaches; Only an artist could handle the two Pippins and peaches! Puzzce Picture Find the Boy with a Quarter