Judge — December 17, 1887 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This December 1887 *Judge* cartoon satirizes Senator Riddleberger's political unreliability. The central figure balances precariously on a large sphere labeled "Balance of Power," juggling various labeled objects while surrounded by onlookers in what appears to be the Senate chamber. The caption explains Riddleberger could swing a crucial Senate vote by allying with Democrats, which would deadlock the chamber and require a presidential tiebreaker. The cartoon mocks him as an unprincipled "wobbler"—a politician whose shifting allegiances make him pivotal but unreliable in closely divided legislatures. The imagery of unstable balance visualizes how Riddleberger's political positioning held disproportionate power during this era of tight congressional control.