Judge — October 17, 1885 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of "The Judge" Cartoon, October 17, 1885 **Title:** "Couldn't Pass the Stables" **Visual Elements:** The cartoon shows a man in a cart pulled by a donkey, blocked from entering a building labeled "Republican" with a "Good Government" flag. A dog chases the donkey while other figures observe. **Political Context:** This appears to satirize Republican Party politics during the Arthur or Cleveland administrations (1885 context). The "stables" reference likely mocks Republican political machine corruption—the metaphor treating political headquarters as literal stables where unsuitable candidates or policies cannot gain entry. **The Satire:** The donkey-drawn cart suggests a foolish or unqualified figure attempting to join the Republican Party but being blocked by the party's gatekeepers, who maintain some minimal standards of "good government." The cartoon critiques both Republican corruption and the irony of claiming moral standards.