Judge — September 21, 1889 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Judge Magazine Cover Analysis (September 21, 1889) This satirical cartoon titled "Between Two Extremes" depicts a woman (likely representing a political issue or constituency) caught between two opposing forces. On the left stands a figure labeled "Whisky" representing the liquor industry; on the right is a formally-dressed gentleman representing the Prohibition movement. The accompanying text references contemporary political tensions: the liquor-dealers' association condemned Republican Party methods in Rochester, N.Y., while the Prohibition party denounced Republicans in Syracuse, N.Y. The cartoon satirizes how Republicans faced criticism from both the alcohol industry and temperance advocates—they were politically trapped "between two extremes," unable to satisfy either faction. This reflects the genuine political struggle over alcohol regulation during the Gilded Age.