Judge — October 28, 1893 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This 1893 cartoon depicts **Columbia** (the female allegorical figure representing the United States) pleading with a figure labeled "Congress" to protect America's forests. Columbia stands by an ancient, gnarled tree while Congress—caricatured as a woodsman with an axe—threatens further destruction. The satire criticizes Congress's failure to conserve natural resources during the Gilded Age, when rampant logging depleted American forests. Columbia's plea emphasizes the tree's age and cultural value ("In youth it shaded me"), urging protection rather than exploitation. The cartoon reflects growing environmental concern in the 1890s and critiques lawmakers for prioritizing commercial interests over conservation of national heritage.