Judge — February 23, 1929 — page 14: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon depicts a fisherman in Vermont who has caught what appears to be a large "Oil Scandal" (labeled on the fish). The figure represents Vermont state politics or governance. The satirical point criticizes Vermont's apparent escape from or avoidance of an oil-related scandal that afflicted other regions—"the one that got away" being the scandal Vermont managed to sidestep. The cartoon references early 20th-century oil industry controversies (likely the Teapot Dome scandal era, though the exact date isn't visible). The fisherman's triumphant pose suggests Vermont escaped financial or political corruption involving oil interests that ensnared other states. The fishing metaphor equates political scandals with catches—some slip away.