A complete issue · 16 pages · 1906
Judge — September 1, 1906
# "The Large-ical Candidate" This 1906 Judge magazine cartoon satirizes Secretary of War William Howard Taft as an oversized presidential candidate. The caricature depicts Taft as an extremely large, rotund figure emerging from the "Presidency" building with a sign reading "Wanted Inside: A Candidate for 1908." The humor plays on Taft's notable obesity and his potential candidacy to succeed Theodore Roosevelt. The caption quotes Secretary Taft asking "I wonder if Justice Brewer was joking?" — likely referencing speculation about his candidacy. The "large-ical" pun in the title mocks both Taft's physical size and the term "logical." The cartoon suggests Taft was being considered as Roosevelt's preferred successor, a position he would indeed accept, winning the 1908 election.
# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page This page contains political commentary and social satire typical of Judge magazine. The left column discusses political figures including references to Bryan, the Hon. Joseph Cannon, and various Democratic and Republican politicians of the era. The main cartoon depicts "The Latest Amenities of Divorce," illustrating a satirical take on divorce proceedings. The image shows a woman at what appears to be a social gathering following her divorce, with commentary suggesting divorce has become fashionable enough to celebrate publicly with formal invitations and guest lists—a mockery of how divorce, once scandalous, has become socially acceptable and almost celebratory among certain circles. The text criticizes this shift in social attitudes while maintaining the magazine's characteristic witty, biting tone toward contemporary American society and politics.
# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page This page contains several distinct items: **Top illustration**: "An Impression" shows a romantic scene of a couple in a boat, accompanying sentimental poetry about love and blue eyes—typical Victorian romantic content. **"What Our Authors Are Doing in Politics"**: A gossip column reporting on various political figures' activities and rumored appointments, including mentions of Mr. Dooley succeeding Whitelaw Reid as ambassador and speculation about congressional positions. **"Punch and Judy" illustration**: A vintage puppet show booth, captioned as "The Only Continuous Vaudeville." **Small humor pieces**: "What Makes Him So Unpopular," "What Callers Are For," and "Strangely Familiar"—brief comedic anecdotes. The page is primarily political gossip and light humor typical of Judge's satirical approach to contemporary American politics and society.
