Judge — March 20, 1920 — page 15: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a humorous scene depicting a rural community gathering where a grange (a farmers' organization) is raffling an automobile—a luxury item that would have seemed exotic and exciting to rural Americans in the early 20th century. The cartoon satirizes the contrast between traditional rural life and modern technology. The crowded street is filled with farmers, townspeople, and children in old-fashioned dress, alongside the newfangled automobile. Various local businesses are labeled (a hairdresser, livery stable, etc.), establishing a small-town setting. The joke appears to be about rural enthusiasm for modern automobiles and the spectacle such an event would generate in a small community, where owning or even seeing a motorcar was unusual. The artist captures the excitement and chaos of the occasion through the densely-packed, animated crowd.