A complete issue · 16 pages · 1893
Judge — September 16, 1893
# Political Cartoon Analysis: "This Dog Is Having His Day" This is an 1893 *Judge* political cartoon satirizing financial and political turmoil. The central dog represents the economy or banking system—note labels referencing "attacks on national credit" and issues with banks and silver currency. Two figures in the background (likely political leaders) appear helpless as the dog writhes chaotically. The Capitol building looms behind them, suggesting Congressional inability to control the crisis. The "rattle of the kettle" subtitle puns on financial instability ("kettle of fish") while mocking how political noise agitates economic panic. The cartoon critiques how politicians failed to manage the severe financial panic affecting America in 1893—blaming leadership for allowing economic chaos to spiral beyond control.
# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page The main cartoon depicts a police officer confronting a drunk man, with the officer saying "There is no use your denying you assaulted the police officer and that you were drunk." The drunk responds he must have been blind drunk, creating the satirical point: the man claims blindness as his excuse, but the officer's logic suggests obvious guilt either way. The surrounding text contains brief political commentary items typical of Judge's format, including critiques of political figures and social conditions. These snippets address topics like Chinese immigration policy, German-Italian relations, New Jersey legal cases, and dancing morality—standard subjects for American satirical commentary of the era. The page demonstrates Judge's mix of visual humor and short-form social criticism.
# Page 163 Analysis This page contains several short humorous sketches typical of Judge magazine's satirical humor: **"A Chance to Show His Pluck"** depicts marital discord—a wife reproaches her husband for lacking ambition and accomplishment, then sarcastically suggests he prove himself by doing housework. **"The Ladder to Fame"** mocks an ambitious schoolboy's naïve belief that goodness and church attendance lead to distinction. **"Occasion for Inquiry"** shows a cook defending herself against accusations of theft by blaming neighborhood incidents for missing items. **"His Business Was Good"** features a pawnbroker and Democrat debating economic policy, with the pawnbroker claiming prosperity from his business experience. **"Profitable Sinning"** depicts deacons caught gambling on Sunday, attempting to minimize their transgression. These sketches satirize everyday hypocrisy, failed ambitions, and moral compromises among ordinary Americans.
