Judge — February 21, 1885 — page 16: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes modern American capitalism and corruption as surpassing even Satan himself. The central figure labeled "His Satanic Majesty" abdicates his throne, declaring he yields to "spirits more diabolical than myself." The figures surrounding him appear to represent various corrupt modern forces—likely industrialists, financiers, or politicians engaged in vice and exploitation. The imagery suggests that contemporary greed, fraud, and moral decay have become so extreme they've eclipsed traditional evil. The satire's point: early 20th-century American society had become so corrupted by unchecked business practices and political malfeasance that it rivaled hell itself in depravity. Satan himself would resign in defeat before such human-generated wickedness. This reflects Judge magazine's frequent critique of monopolies, labor abuses, and governmental corruption of the era.