Judge — March 3, 1883 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Judge magazine cartoon satirizes a wealthy judge or businessman in the American West who is collecting contributions for a "Flood Fund" of $5,000 (attributed to "J.G. Bennie"). The figure, depicted with exaggerated features, holds oversized boxing gloves labeled "CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED HERE," suggesting he's aggressively extracting donations. The cartoon's subtitle—"AN EXAMPLE FOR THE MONOPOLISTS"—indicates this is criticizing monopolistic practices and corrupt wealth concentration. The bridge and Western landscape in the background emphasize the regional setting. The satire suggests that powerful figures exploit public disasters (the flood) to enrich themselves while posing as charitable, using strongarm tactics (the boxing gloves) to solicit funds. This reflects late-19th/early-20th-century Progressive Era criticism of robber barons and monopolists.