Judge — September 19, 1885 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This 1885 *Judge* cartoon satirizes infighting among Democratic candidates competing for New York's gubernatorial nomination at the Saratoga Convention. Three men, labeled with "POWER," struggle over a large stone marked "SARATOGA CONVENTION" while a sign overhead identifies it as such. The "triangular fight" metaphor depicts the brutal internal struggle for the party's nomination. The cartoon suggests Democratic leaders were more focused on defeating each other than presenting a unified front. This reflects genuine 1880s Democratic Party divisions over patronage, ideology, and regional interests—a common satirical target for *Judge*, which frequently mocked political infighting and weakness.