Judge — October 6, 1888 — page 16: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon satirizes President Grover Cleveland as a coat of many colors—a reference to the biblical "coat of many colors" symbolizing inconsistency or changeability. The image shows Cleveland depicted as a garment with various patterns and text labels representing different political positions or promises. The satire suggests Cleveland was opportunistically adopting contradictory stances to appeal to different constituencies ("warranted to suit any taste"). Multiple figures are shown wearing or examining different sections of this "coat," implying various groups believed Cleveland represented their interests—when in fact his positions were inconsistent or self-serving. This reflects common late-19th-century criticism that Cleveland shifted his political positions to maintain political viability during his presidency.