Judge — March 10, 1883 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes religious censorship, specifically the closing of "The Passion Play Temple" by authorities citing "prejudice." The left panel shows an official posting a closure notice on a heart-shaped padlock, suggesting suppression of religious expression. The right panel depicts "The Bon Ton" establishment—a wine bar operating openly despite Prohibition—mocking the inconsistency: authorities aggressively shut down a religious venue while ignoring illegal alcohol sales. Signs advertise "Faro" (illegal gambling) and wines/liquors. The satire's point: authorities selectively enforced laws based on bias, tolerating vice while suppressing religion. This likely references early 20th-century controversies over banning "Passion Play" performances, which some deemed blasphemous or culturally problematic, while simultaneously tolerating speakeasies and crime.