Judge — September 8, 1888 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Political Cartoon Analysis: "The Goose That Lays the Golden Eggs" (Judge, September 8, 1888) This cartoon satirizes Democratic politicians' approach to tariff policy. A well-dressed gentleman (representing a Democratic politician) threatens a goose labeled "Protection" with a knife, while a working-class man sits nearby. The caption quotes the politician telling the workingman: "Kill the Goose and get all your Eggs at once." The accompanying text box explains the satire: free trade would cheapen goods but devastate American workers' wages, making purchased goods unaffordable anyway. The "golden eggs" represent the economic benefits of protective tariffs, while "killing the goose" symbolizes eliminating protectionist policies. The cartoon argues Democrats would sacrifice long-term worker prosperity for short-term cheaper imports—a false economy that ultimately harms laborers.