This 1891 Judge illustration by Grant E. Hamilton captures the fatigue of political journalism during an era dominated by endless stump speeches and partisan rhetoric. Inside the editorial office of a Democratic newspaper, a weary editor is buried beneath towering piles of speeches from President Benjamin Harrison, each tied to cities across the country. At his side stands a caricatured Harrison figure hauling armfuls of encyclopedias, a visual jab at how heavily the president relied on prepared, scripted addresses.
Judge uses humor here to highlight a familiar tension: the struggle of editors to interpret, critique, and keep pace with an overwhelming political message machine. The image reflects a broader frustration with formulaic political communication and the drudgery of campaigning in the late nineteenth century.
Drawn from an issue preserved in the archives, this journal offers a snapshot of American political satire at a moment when newspapers served as the primary arena for national debate. A distinctive companion for notes, writing, or everyday planning.
Metal spiral binding | Interior document pocket | Ruled | 6x8 in.
This 1891 Judge illustration by Grant E. Hamilton captures the fatigue of political journalism during an era dominated by endless stump speeches and partisan rhetoric. Inside the editorial office of a Democratic newspaper, a weary editor is buried beneath towering piles of speeches from President Benjamin Harrison, each tied to cities across the country. At his side stands a caricatured Harrison figure hauling armfuls of encyclopedias, a visual jab at how heavily the president relied on prepared, scripted addresses.
Judge uses humor here to highlight a familiar tension: the struggle of editors to interpret, critique, and keep pace with an overwhelming political message machine. The image reflects a broader frustration with formulaic political communication and the drudgery of campaigning in the late nineteenth century.
Drawn from an issue preserved in the archives, this journal offers a snapshot of American political satire at a moment when newspapers served as the primary arena for national debate. A distinctive companion for notes, writing, or everyday planning.
Metal spiral binding | Interior document pocket | Ruled | 6x8 in.
