Judge — March 10, 1888 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Fish-Treaty Peddlers" (Judge, March 10, 1888) This political cartoon satirizes figures promoting a fish treaty—likely referring to negotiations over fishing rights, possibly between the U.S. and Canada, which were contentious issues in the 1880s. The caption's dialogue mocks the treaty's value: a street peddler hawking "weak fish" that "nobody wants" serves as a metaphor. The figures appear to be politicians or diplomats trying to sell an unpopular agreement to the public. The satire suggests the treaty was weak, unwanted, and being aggressively marketed despite lacking genuine support or benefit. The "peddler" comparison implies the deal was being pushed dishonestly, like cheap goods from a cart. Without identifying specific individuals, the cartoon criticizes diplomatic efforts as cynical salesmanship of a bad deal.