Judge — June 9, 1888 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Political Cartoon Analysis: "England's Candidate for the American Presidency" This 1888 Judge magazine cartoon satirizes President Grover Cleveland's popularity with the British. The image shows two caricatured British figures (likely representing England/John Bull) presenting Cleveland as their preferred American presidential candidate. The left panel lists Cleveland's platform: free trade, free iron, free cloth, free wood, and manufactured goods—policies that would benefit British commerce at American expense. The satire suggests Cleveland is essentially England's puppet candidate, compromised by his free-trade positions that favor British interests over American manufacturing and workers. The cartoon warns American voters that Cleveland's policies serve foreign powers rather than domestic industry. The quote from "London Correspondence" reinforces this critique: Cleveland is suspiciously popular with the English.