Based on the criticism made by the Philadelphia newspaper "North American," this paper examines the passage of the anti-cartoon bill by the Pennsylvania legislature in 1903. The paper notes that the law served not to silence political criticism but to motivate vehement attacks by newspapers throughout the country on the law, on Samuel Pennypacker--the governor who passed it--and on Matthew Quay, his political backer. It also discusses why the legislation was seriously considered at all, when the Pennsylvania Constitution, common law, and the First Amendment already provided protection against libel. The paper emphasizes that the libel law was passed during the muckraking era in American journalism, which coincided with the unprecedented rise in the number and power of cartoonists in daily newspapers. Pennypacker himself is shown to have been the target of an inexorable campaign of cartoons in the "North American" the year prior to the legislation. The paper chronicles and analyzes the attacks made by the "North American" cartoonists on Pennypacker and Quay from May 1902--when the first cartoon appeared calling Pennypacker a tool of the Quay machine--until May 1903--when the bill was signed into law. In addition, speeches by Pennypacker that referred to the measure are examined, as is the bill as it was written, amended, and approved by the Pennsylvania legislature. Fifteen of the most controversial cartoons are included, as are extensive endnotes. (JD)