Judge, 1888-04-14 · page 9 of 16
Judge — April 14, 1888 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Judge cartoon uses farming as a metaphor for American governance. "Uncle Sam's Farm" represents the United States. The well-dressed men appear to be political figures or parties discussing a failed tenant—likely referring to a departing presidential administration or political party that mismanaged the country's affairs. The complaint lists specific failures: destroyed crops ("Reform Lettuce beds"), deteriorating infrastructure (decaying barns, rusted ploughs), and broken promises ("all wind"). The phrase "I'll try a new tenant" suggests an election or transfer of political power, with the landlord (American voters/government) seeking new leadership to repair the damage. This reflects late 19th-century political criticism about governmental mismanagement and the hope that new leadership would restore prosperity and fulfill reform promises.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
OF THE LEASE OF UNCLE SAM’S FARM. dead, your old hog has destroyed my Reform Lettuce beds, the barns have gone to decay, the plough has rusted for want of use, and the ‘promises were all wind. T’ll try a new tenant.” raw ey wee CREE comicbooks.com