“The Monarch” [caption title of 1930 illustrated Maryland women’s political broadside attacking Democrat Governor Albert Ritchie who was seeking a fourth term].

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Blunt political document by women, aimed at women and illustrated by Japanese American artist and designer Mabel Kaji (1891–1965) of Baltimore.

Political broadside aimed at women voting in Maryland’s gubernatorial election of 1930 and opposing Gov. Albert Ritchie who was seeing a fourth term. The broadside is signed in type by Mrs. John A. Holmes, (Clara C. Holmes) President of the Federation of Republican Women of Maryland.

Cartoon illustration signed “Mabel Kaji” shows a smug Gov. Ritchie wearing a crown and sitting atop a map of Maryland while holding a list of his enemies in one hand while his other hand locks them up in a jail cell; at the bottom left is a bloody executioner’s chopping block and axe.

The text of the broadside is presented as a series questions posed to women and then answered. For example: “WOMEN[:] separate “FACTS” from theories and arguments, they want to know about Governor Ritchie’s appointive power. ANSWER[:] in 1922 Governor Ritchie reorganized the Maryland State Government and delegated to himself the power of a MONARCH.  …even the Ritchie opponents in the Democratic Party assisted in digging their own graves…and gave to this “ONE” man an appointive power which is surpassed by no official in the world.”

Price: $125.00