Judge — February 15, 1890 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Political Cartoon Analysis: "A Foolhardy Attempt to Stop the Fair" This February 1890 *Judge* cartoon satirizes opposition to the upcoming World's Columbian Exposition (Chicago's 1893 World's Fair). The massive globe labeled "WORLD'S FAIR 1893" rolls downhill like an unstoppable force, while figures below attempt futilely to halt it—one wielding a rifle, another gesturing from above in a top hat. The caption—"Look out, boys, she's a-coming!!"—treats the fair as an inevitable, feminine force of progress that cannot be stopped by protesters or critics. The cartoon mocks those opposing the fair's construction and expense as foolish and powerless against modernization. The sweeping artistic style emphasizes the fair's momentum and cultural significance.