Judge — January 31, 1885 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon depicts a figure in formal attire (top hat and tails) wielding a large whip or rod, striking at a serpent or dragon-like creature. The figure appears to be a personification of justice or authority. The image uses classic allegorical symbolism: the well-dressed authority figure represents the law or judicial power, while the serpentine creature likely represents corruption, crime, or a specific social evil that was the target of contemporary reform efforts. Without the specific date or additional text, I cannot identify the exact historical event or figure being referenced. However, the cartoon follows Judge magazine's typical satirical approach of depicting moral authority aggressively confronting societal problems, using dramatic imagery to make its political point clear to readers.