Judge — April 13, 1889 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon satirizes the "Big 4" of New York—likely referring to prominent political or business figures of 1889. The caption indicates they've "captured all the Harmony we wasted" and are celebrating their supposed victory, singing "razzle-dazzle" nonsense to distract from actual accomplishments. The White House visible in the background suggests federal political involvement. The cartoon's central joke mocks these powerful men for achieving nothing substantive while creating theatrical distractions—"razzle-dazzle" being empty showmanship. The text box noting "all the important offices have been given out and the big 4 of New York get nothing" (dated April 8, 1889) indicates this concerns patronage disputes and political disappointment, where these four figures feel excluded from power distribution.