A complete issue · 16 pages · 1900
Judge — September 22, 1900
# Judge Magazine, September 22, 1900: "Bryan is Entitled to Another 'Think'" This political cartoon mocks William Jennings Bryan, the Democratic presidential candidate in the 1900 election, by comparing him to Abraham Lincoln. Bryan is depicted as a small, grotesque figure beside a large bust of Lincoln labeled "LINCOLN." The caption quotes Bryan claiming resemblance to Lincoln and boasting he's "bigger than old Abe," which the satire presents as absurd vanity. The cartoon ridicules Bryan's self-aggrandizement—his attempt to associate himself with Lincoln's stature while simultaneously claiming superiority. The grotesque caricature emphasizes what Judge's editors viewed as Bryan's pretentiousness and unfounded ego. This reflects Republican opposition to Bryan's 1900 campaign, positioning him as a delusional politician unworthy of the presidency or comparison to America's greatest leader.
# "Entitled to More Sadness" The central cartoon depicts a street scene with well-dressed figures in top hats encountering a woman in distress. The caption reads: "Casey—'I was very much shocked at parting to hear so Clancey's sudden death. He owed me tin cents.' Corrigan—'Faith, sure betterment was nothing but a noise moine. He owed me seventy-five.'" The satire mocks working-class Irish characters (suggested by names like Casey and Corrigan) whose primary grief over a death centers on unpaid debts rather than genuine mourning. It's a stereotype-based joke about Irish immigrants' financial circumstances and materialism, reflecting period prejudices common in American satirical publications. The humor depends on ethnic caricature.
# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page This page satirizes theatrical performance and social pretense through two cartoons. **Top cartoon** ("Busted!"): Depicts a dramatic club returning from "Possum ville" (4½ miles away). The crude, chaotic scene mocks amateur theatrical productions—suggesting the group's attempted "disastrous tour" failed spectacularly. The reference to "dead-heads" (non-paying audience members) and "stage business" ridicules both the performers' incompetence and their pretensions. **Bottom cartoon** ("A Happy Thought"): Shows domestic discord, with dialogue about a rooster's paternity. Mrs. Corrigan's quip—that the rooster "will never let the mothering go near the chickens"—uses animal behavior as metaphor for human marital conflict and jealousy. Both pieces mock affectation and expose uncomfortable social realities beneath genteel appearances.
# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page This page contains several editorial cartoons and humorous pieces about literary matters. The main article "Concerning Literary Swag" criticizes contributors who submit work to *Palladium* (the magazine) that appears to be recycled or plagiarized from other publications. The editor warns against using the magazine "as a literary fence" for previously published material. The cartoons illustrate related themes of literary dishonesty: one shows a figure attempting to pass off work to an editor, another depicts someone trying to appropriate another's writing. The page satirizes both the pretensions of amateur writers and the growing problem of literary theft in magazines of the era. The tone suggests frustration with contributors' ethical lapses.
