Judge, 1922-07-15 · page 7 of 36
Judge — July 15, 1922 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page This page satirizes political ambition and corruption. The main illustration shows a trapeze artist who uses self-improvement exercises to advance politically—he practices trapeze work so perfectly that he wins ward, county, and state elections four times running. The accompanying text describes how this "man of the hour" uses a "painless method of extracting the franchise from suffering humanity" (voter manipulation) and media ownership to build power. His rise is described cynically: he becomes "the Big Noise," his right hand "mowed 'em down by the tens of thousands." The satire's punch: Hon. Abijah P. Jenks arrives as his rival—described as a "great flaming carbuncle on the neck of liberty" because he operates above such schemes. The idea of assimilating Jenks's methods "killed him dead," suggesting honest politics ultimately defeats corruption. The small "Professional Note" joke plays on similar themes of self-interested manipulation in courtship.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The trapeze artist uses his spare moments for self-improvement up his lips and kiss the air and gurgle “Isn't he dear?” and at the end of a phrase he would cry “What a Wonderful Child.” HEN he knew his exercises so that he could do them without the music his technique was so perfect that he won in the ward, and had enough majority to capture the county. The next time he ran Jenks carried the State. Nothing could stop him. Men said, “Here is the four times winner.” He bought a chain of papers and advertised himself as the man of the hour—some- thing he never could have done without the aid of the little handbook which told him the painless method of extracting the franchise from suffering humanity. He began marching down the corridors of time toward the Hall of Fame. He was the Big Noise, and nothing could put the muffler on him. His trusty right hand in full swing mowed ’em down by the tens of thousands. Hon. Abijah P. Jenks arrived. Ponderous, handsome, silent, imperturbable, he rose above his fellows who viewed politics as service, 5 like a great flaming carbuncle on the neck of liberty. him. an idea. It killed him dead. And then the devil tempted Abijah P. Jenks tried to assimilate Bld The Professional Note by N. M. Levy HES always pleading for a kiss And to it tries to stir her, But she is studying law just now And puts in a demurrer.