Judge — October 15, 1887 — page 16: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes Democratic objections to a candidate during New York State elections. The central figure appears to be a political candidate defending himself against criticism from Democratic editors (shown at left). The satire's point: Democrats are attacking the candidate solely based on his parentage—specifically, that he is "the son of your father"—rather than addressing his actual qualifications or positions. The candidate's defensive response ("is it a crime?") highlights the absurdity of this ad hominem criticism. The cartoon mocks Democratic campaigning tactics as petty and character-based rather than issue-focused. Without knowing the specific election date or candidate names from the image alone, the broader critique is clear: *Judge* magazine is ridiculing what it presents as unfair personal attacks masquerading as political discourse.