Judge — April 5, 1890 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon depicts a large figure in a top hat sitting atop a "Public Office" building, representing corrupt political control of government. The figure appears to be a caricatured "Boss"—likely referring to a political machine boss or party leader of the Gilded Age era. The smaller figure crawling beneath him, labeled as a "Thief," represents corruption or graft operating within public institutions. The scattered papers and documents around them suggest misappropriated public funds and fraudulent schemes. The caption's quote—"You will keep on removing me, but you will always put me back again—for I run your politics!"—satirizes the cyclical nature of political corruption, suggesting that despite reform efforts, corrupt political machines remained deeply entrenched in American governance during this period.