Judge — March 14, 1891 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Lost! The Free Silver Mine Collapses" This March 14, 1891 *Judge* cartoon satirizes the collapse of the "Free Silver Mine"—a reference to the political movement advocating unlimited coinage of silver. The illustration shows miners trapped in a collapsed mine shaft, representing the movement's supporters who invested politically and financially in this cause. The caption "No attempt will be made to rescue the unfortunates" suggests the satirist viewed Free Silver as a doomed cause beyond saving. This likely comments on the Populist Party's silver advocacy, which faced opposition from gold-standard supporters in the early 1890s. The cartoon employs dark humor typical of *Judge*'s political satire, depicting the miners' distress to ridicule what the publication apparently considered a foolish economic policy destined for failure.