Judge — January 19, 1889 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "A Hopeless Effort to Revive the Mummy" This political cartoon from Judge (January 19, 1889) uses Egyptian mummy imagery as satire. The label "FREE TRADE KILLED NOV 1888" on the mummy indicates the cartoon concerns American free trade policy, apparently defeated in November 1888 elections. The figures attempting to revive the "dead" free trade policy appear to be political advocates or Democratic politicians (free trade was traditionally the Democratic position). The Egyptian setting—with the sarcophagus, hieroglyphics, and costumed figures—suggests these revival efforts are ancient history, futile, and absurd. The cartoonist argues that free trade's electoral defeat was decisive and permanent, making attempts to resurrect the policy ridiculous and doomed. The Republican victory in 1888 favored protective tariffs over free trade.