Judge — October 31, 1891 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This 1891 Judge magazine cover depicts a tiger holding two men on a train platform labeled "Tammany" and "Platform." The caption reads: "The Funniest Thing Out—Dave and Grover on the Same Platform. And the band played 'Comrades.'" The cartoon satirizes an uncomfortable political alliance between two figures—likely referring to Democratic politicians David B. Hill and Grover Cleveland, who were rivals but apparently appeared together at a Tammany Hall event (New York's powerful Democratic machine). The tiger represents the predatory nature of Tammany politics, while the "Comrades" reference mocks their forced unity despite personal antagonism. The satire suggests their public collaboration was absurdly incongruous and dangerous—"the funniest thing out."