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

What you’re looking at

# "Inflation—For Political Purposes" This November 1890 *Judge* cartoon satirizes census manipulation in New York City. Uncle Sam (left) confronts a bloated Mayor figure who's inflated the official population count to 1,910,715 people for political gain. The cartoon's title and Sam's caption ("you've used too much gas!") suggest the Mayor artificially inflated census numbers like an overblown balloon—exaggerating the city's size to increase political representation and federal resources. The gas tank labeled "GAS" and industrial backdrop reference actual inflation of numbers rather than helium. This appears to critique Tammany Hall political machine practices—using false census data for patronage advantages. The satire targets dishonest municipal governance and population data manipulation for political power.