A complete issue · 16 pages · 1908
Judge — November 28, 1908
# "Going to the Devil" - Judge Magazine, November 28, 1908 This satirical image depicts a nighttime theater district (likely Broadway), with illuminated marquees advertising "The Devil" as a popular entertainment attraction. Crowds gather outside theaters showing what appears to be a play or film titled "The Devil." The caption's joke—"I seem to be quite popular!"—is a personified Devil commenting on the theatrical success of devil-themed entertainment. The satire critiques either: 1. The public's fascination with sensational, morally questionable entertainment, or 2. Contemporary religious anxieties about commercial theater promoting vice and immorality. The crowded, glittering theater district suggests Americans are literally "going to the devil" by patronizing such shows—a common Progressive-era concern about urban entertainment and moral decline.
# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page This page contains two main editorial cartoons addressing early 20th-century concerns: **"The College Man"** (top) satirizes college students' frivolous behavior and their contributions to humor magazines. The text defends Judge against accusations of mocking college life, arguing the publication actually respects educated youth while gently ridiculing their antics. **"Time to Do Something"** (bottom) depicts industrial waste and deforestation, with Judge—personified as a stern authority figure—confronting two men amid logs and a pulp mill. The caption warns about "wasteful destruction," suggesting the cartoon protests environmental degradation and resource depletion caused by industrial expansion, particularly logging operations. Both pieces reflect Judge's self-positioning as a voice of social criticism targeting both upper-class frivolity and industrial excess.
# "A Matter of Doubt" - Judge Magazine Cartoon The cartoon depicts a roadside scene where a driver (in an early automobile) asks directions from what appears to be a rural figure. The driver asks, "Where will this road take us if we keep on?" The response is, "Waal, it all depends, mister. Maybe some o' ye'll go one place an' some t'other." The ambiguity suggests uncertainty about the political direction being taken. The text below discusses **Judge's influence on the 1912 campaign for Taft and Sherman** (Republican candidates), emphasizing how the magazine's cartoons swayed employers and businessmen to support them. The rural figure's wishy-washy answer likely satirizes political uncertainty or contradictory messaging in that election cycle.