Judge — September 22, 1883 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Judge magazine satirical piece depicts an idealized employer through contrasting scenes. The top panel shows "He is Always Considerate to His Employees"—a well-dressed businessman supervising workers at desks. The middle panel, "He Enjoys a Little Recreation," shows him boating labeled "ATLANTA." The bottom panel, "He is Canonized by a Grateful Public," depicts him as a crowned, saintly figure worshipped by small figures. The satire is ironic: the cartoon mocks excessive praise of wealthy industrialists who receive public adulation for basic decency toward workers. The angel wings on the left margin reinforce the absurdist canonization. The piece likely critiques the early 20th-century tendency to lionize businessmen as moral exemplars, suggesting such veneration was unwarranted even for merely competent, non-abusive employers.