Judge — April 11, 1885 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon satirizes civil service corruption. The ship's deck is crowded with politicians and bureaucrats labeled with references to "Civil Service Pork," "Salary Junk," and "Rank and File"—mocking how government jobs were distributed as political patronage rather than merit. The caricatured figures appear to represent various political factions or parties competing for cushy government positions. The maritime setting suggests they're all in the same boat, dependent on this corrupt system. The cartoon criticizes the spoils system: appointing unqualified people to government jobs as political favors. The title "Something to Turn Up" suggests anticipation of future scandals or revelations about these practices. The artist is credited as Hamilton (visible at bottom).