Judge, 1890-03-01 · page 8 of 16
Judge — March 1, 1890 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a satirical cartoon titled "Have the Fair," depicting a chaotic fair or exposition with numerous closed attractions and political pandemonium. The cartoon critiques American political excitement during what appears to be an election cycle, with signs referencing candidates like "Ben Butler" and "D.B. Hill," plus slogans like "Boom for Cleveland" and "Free Trade." The central message—"Look before you leap, Uncle Sam"—warns against hasty political decisions amid carnival-like chaos. Multiple "CLOSED" signs suggest that political promises are hollow. The satire suggests that Americans are being distracted by political theater ("too much political excitement") while substantive governance suffers. The fair's closed attractions symbolize unfulfilled political promises and the carnival atmosphere mocks electoral fervor as mere entertainment rather than serious civic engagement.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
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