Judge — November 7, 1891 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This November 1891 *Judge* cartoon satirizes four political topics that the artist believes have been exhausted by debate and are no longer useful to politicians. The large globe represents worldwide political discourse, while four caricatured figures—appearing to represent different political factions or parties—surround it holding worn-out signs labeled as spent "issues." The signs visible include references to tariffs and other campaign topics. The caption states these issues "have served their turn and the politicians have no further use for them," suggesting the artist mocks politicians for cycling through rhetorical topics cynically rather than addressing genuine concerns. The style is typical of *Judge's* partisan satirical commentary on American electoral politics of the Gilded Age.