Judge — May 20, 1893 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes economic regression during the **Business Depression** (visible on the building sign). The image contrasts modern industrial progress with backward collapse: a man operates what appears to be a hand-drawn carriage or primitive transport system, while a dejected dog lies in the street below. The "first train" reference—likely comparing an early locomotive displayed at the World's Fair—becomes ironic commentary: despite America's technological achievements on display, the actual economy has regressed so severely that people resort to obsolete, manual transportation methods. The cartoon's title, "Going Backward," makes explicit the message: economic depression has reversed civilization's progress, forcing society back to pre-industrial conditions. This is biting social criticism of the era's economic crisis and its devastating impact on working people.