Judge — February 20, 1886 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This 1886 *Judge* cartoon satirizes the economic consequences of free trade policy. The main image depicts a starving English workman confronting an American worker, with a closed factory and rioting crowds in the background. The caption—"This is what Free Trade has brought me to!"—uses the London riots (a real event) as evidence of free trade's destructive effects. The cartoon argues protectionist positions: free trade, rather than benefiting workers, has caused factory closures and social unrest in Britain. The figure on the right appears to represent American interests or prosperity. The satire suggests Americans should learn this "lesson" and reject free trade policies to avoid similar domestic turmoil and worker suffering.