Judge — January 16, 1886 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of Judge Magazine Cartoon, January 16, 1886 This political cartoon titled "Taken In" satirizes **Clothier Kelleland** (a clothing merchant), depicted as a con artist being swindled. The main figure wears a sash labeled "Cleveland Civil Service Reform," referring to President Grover Cleveland's reform policies. The joke appears to be that Cleveland's civil service reforms—intended to remove corruption and patronage from government—are themselves a deception or scam. The cartoonist suggests the reform movement is dishonest theater rather than genuine change. The figures in the background (possibly political figures or reformers) witness the scene, reinforcing the satirical message that prominent reform advocates are either duped or complicit in the charade. The cartoon represents skepticism about Cleveland's reform agenda and broader late-19th-century anxieties about political authenticity.