Judge — November 28, 1891 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Judge magazine cartoon satirizes Thanksgiving proclamations by President B. Harrison and Massachusetts Governor Russell Ames Forbes. The image depicts various caricatured figures—appearing to represent corrupt politicians or wealthy interests—crowding around the Capitol building. Two proclamation signs are visible, calling Americans to give thanks for "blessings." The caption's bitter question—"we're told to be thankful for them, but where do we come in?"—expresses working-class resentment. The satire suggests that while political leaders issue pious Thanksgiving proclamations, ordinary citizens see no actual benefits or blessings in their own lives. The crowded, chaotic composition reinforces the sense of common people being excluded from whatever prosperity the government celebrates. This reflects late 19th-century tensions between labor and political/corporate elites during economic inequality.