A complete issue · 18 pages · 1879
Puck — October 1, 1879
# "The Two Machines" - Puck, October 1, 1876 This political cartoon satirizes the 1876 U.S. presidential election machinery. The central image shows two figures operating around a ballot box—one labeled as an "Engineer" speaking to "Kelly," complaining that his machine "won't pump at all" while the other machine works fine. Kelly responds that the other machine is "only fit for scrap iron." The cartoon critiques competing voting systems or electoral manipulation tactics during this contentious election period. The figures appear to represent different political factions or operatives struggling with election machinery—likely referencing fraud concerns, ballot-box tampering, or disputes over voting mechanisms that characterized the 1876 Hayes-Tilden election controversy.
# Analysis of Puck Magazine Page 466 This page is primarily **text-based editorial content** rather than illustrated political cartoons. The main sections include: **"Pain and Pedestrianism"** critiques a walking match phenomenon popular in the 1880s-90s, where participants endured extreme physical hardship over multiple days. Puck satirizes the spectacle as cruel entertainment and questions society's lack of outrage, noting we have animal protection societies but apparently tolerate torturing humans for amusement. **"Coal Fire or Hell Fire"** discusses a fireman named Johnston who worked Sundays, presenting a moral debate about labor and religious observance. The **"Puckerings"** section contains brief satirical jabs at various public figures and contemporary events, including references to General Grant and political situations. The page demonstrates Puck's editorial function: social criticism through prose satire rather than visual caricature.
# Political Machinery (Puck, page 467) The main article satirizes corrupt electoral practices in New York State politics. It references Roscoe Conkling (Republican machine boss) and another "old-time politician" whose names the text withholds, criticizing how political machines manipulate voting through corruption and coercion. The satire specifically attacks: - Governor Robinson and the Democratic machine - The Republican "young Republican party" - Both parties' attempts to control voters through organizational pressure rather than genuine persuasion The accompanying illustration (center-right) depicts a crowded political gathering or rally, though specific figures are unclear. The text criticizes these machines as undemocratic forces that exploit ordinary voters' interests while serving elite political bosses' power and profit motives.
