Judge — April 3, 1886 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Deceived Old Party" - Judge Magazine, April 3, 1886 This political cartoon satirizes the Democratic Party as a foolish woman ("Bad Democratic Boy") who has been tricked by an April Fool's joke. The figure labeled "Corrupt State Machine" (the barrel at left) appears to be deceiving the Democratic Party personified as a gullible woman on the right, who looks shocked and dismayed—realizing "she thought she had it" but has been fooled. The satire suggests Democrats were duped by machine politics or political corruption, particularly regarding state-level operations. The "April Fool" reference mocks Democratic leadership for being naive about political manipulation. This reflects late-19th-century criticism of urban political machines and their control over party operations.