A complete issue · 16 pages · 1907
Judge — May 25, 1907
# "Making a Monkey of Him" This 1907 *Judge* cartoon satirizes media manipulation and yellow journalism. A caricatured figure on the left (appearing to represent a politician or public figure) operates a monkey puppet labeled "1908"—likely referencing the upcoming 1908 presidential election. The Capitol dome visible in the background confirms this is about Washington politics. The surrounding labels reference "Glass Hatred," "Yellow Journalism," and "Editorials," suggesting the cartoon criticizes how newspapers and partisan commentary control public perception and political discourse. The title "Making a Monkey of Him" indicates the cartoonist believes yellow journalism and editorial spin are manipulating the American public and political process, rendering serious governance into mere puppet theater. The satirical point: media outlets pull the strings of political narratives.
# Political Cartoon Analysis: "The Governor of North Carolina Said to the Governor of South Carolina" This cartoon satirizes a conversation between two state governors about regional pride and political rivalry. The main article recounts how North Carolina's governor supposedly told South Carolina's governor that their state's advantage is its lack of famous loafers—a backhanded compliment suggesting South Carolina harbors idle, unproductive citizens. The cartoon depicts two men in conversation, labeled with their respective states. The satire targets Southern regional pride and interstate competition during what appears to be the early 20th century. The joke plays on the tension between states' claims of superiority, using the stereotype of laziness as the distinguishing characteristic. It's a commentary on Southern politics and regional identity through humorous insult.
# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page The top cartoon, "A Kind Landlord," satirizes landlord-tenant relations. A poorly dressed man (tenant) confronts his landlord about rent increases, while a child watches from below and a woman bends over inside the dwelling. The satire targets the landlord's callousness toward struggling working-class renters. The main article, "How to Rig Up an Auto at Home," offers humorous DIY automotive instructions for working-class readers who cannot afford proper cars. It mocks both the aspiration to automobile ownership among the poor and the absurdity of constructing vehicles from wagon wheels and plumbing supplies. The lower section contains brief illustrated jokes about everyday urban life, typical of Judge's satirical humor targeting social class disparities of the era.
