Judge — December 21, 1889 — page 18: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon by Hamilton satirizes concerns about accidental electrocution from overhead electric wires, a genuine public hazard in early industrial America. The cartoon depicts absurdly oversized, padded "protective suits" worn by figures in an urban setting dense with electrical poles and wires. The suits are labeled "Judge's Patent" and resemble inflated balloons or armor. The satire works on two levels: it mocks both the genuine danger of unregulated electrical infrastructure AND the ridiculous "solutions" being proposed or marketed. Rather than addressing the root problem (safer wire design or installation standards), the cartoon suggests people simply accept the hazard and wear comical protective gear instead. The "discovery" is ironic—this impractical invention solves nothing while highlighting how the problem demands real regulatory action, not consumer workarounds.