Judge — October 3, 1885 — page 16: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon satirizes President Grover Cleveland as a circus showman mourning the death of a large elephant labeled "Civil Service Reformer." The elephant, representing the Democratic Party's commitment to civil service reform, lies dead while Cleveland calculates how to profit from its demise ("make 'em pay up for it in 1888"). The satire suggests Cleveland exploited civil service reform—a key Democratic platform promise—as a spectacle for political gain rather than genuine principle. The 1888 reference indicates this was published during Cleveland's reelection campaign. The "jumbo" (circus terminology) mockingly compares Democratic promises to a carnival attraction, implying the party treated reform as entertainment rather than substantive policy. The cartoon criticizes Cleveland's apparent opportunism and insincerity regarding the reform agenda.