The Judge, Vol. 7, No. 165

I Should Smile (December 13, 1884)

A lion anthropomorphized as a British figure reads a newspaper headline announcing "Democratic Cleveland Wins" while holding a pendant labeled "Prosperity & British Gold." Behind the lion, ships crowd a harbor next to the Bank of England. The caption reads "I Should Smile." This satirical cover from Judge, the Republican weekly, mocks the victory of Democrat Grover Cleveland in the 1884 presidential election. The cartoon suggests that British financial interests—symbolized by the gold and maritime power—benefited from Cleveland's win, implying Democratic alignment with foreign capital over American industrial protection. The image reflects Republican anxieties about tariff policy and currency debates that dominated 1880s politics, translating economic arguments into caricatural form for mass consumption.