Judge — October 3, 1891 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon satirizes corrupt New York politics through the metaphor of a grotesque flowering plant. "Boodle" was 1890s slang for bribery money and political corruption. The vase contains caricatured faces of what appear to be corrupt New York political figures, with flowers blooming from their heads. The caption states: "New York will certainly not vote this variety its state flower"—a sardonic joke, since New York's actual state flower selection was likely being debated at this time. A silhouetted profile (possibly a political leader) appears on the left. The overall message: New York politics is so thoroughly corrupted by bribery and graft that if politicians were flowers, they'd be monstrous weeds rather than worthy of official recognition.