Judge — June 3, 1893 — page 16: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Judge magazine cartoon satirizes the debate over Sunday museum access in late 19th-century America. The "blue-nose hypocrites" refers to religious conservatives who opposed opening public institutions on Sundays, viewing such activities as violations of the Sabbath. The quoted text attributes a position to Bishop Potter (likely Henry Codman Potter, an Episcopal leader), arguing that museums and educational institutions *should* open Sundays because they provide spiritual and moral education—not worldly corruption. The cartoon depicts a chaotic crowd of working-class and immigrant visitors—the audience who would benefit from Sunday access—pressing toward museum gates. The satire critiques religious puritanism by suggesting that restricting Sunday access punishes ordinary people while serving no genuine moral purpose. This reflects broader Progressive-era tensions between traditional religious restrictions and expanding public access to culture and education.