Judge — October 23, 1886 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon satirizes internal conflict within the Democratic Party. The image depicts Native American figures (identifiable by headdresses and tepees in the background) gathered around what appears to be a volatile situation—the "bomb" referenced in the title. The cartoon uses the bomb as a metaphor for a destructive dispute threatening to tear the party apart. The Native American imagery and caricatures suggest the cartoon is commenting on a specific Democratic controversy, possibly related to westward expansion policies or factional disagreements of the era. The caption's question—"Will it fizzle out, or will it burst?"—frames the conflict as either something that will dissipate harmlessly or explode into full party rupture. This appears to be commentary on whether internal Democratic tensions would resolve or cause serious damage to the party's unity.