Judge — May 30, 1931 — page 7: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "In Ancient Times: Relieving Ye Farmers" This Judge cartoon satirizes the burden placed on farmers through taxation or legal fees. The central figure in ornate dress (appearing to be a judge or nobleman) presides over a chaotic scene where common farmers are being "relieved" of their possessions—literally having goods loaded onto carts. The visual pun is sardonic: "relieving" farmers ostensibly means helping them, but the image shows authorities actually stripping them of property. The winter setting and desolate landscape emphasize their hardship. The title's archaic language ("Ye") suggests this oppressive practice is timeless, implying contemporary American farmers face similar exploitation despite modern progress. The cartoon critiques the legal or political system's treatment of agricultural workers as perpetual victims of institutional greed.