Judge — December 30, 1893 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Grover's Folly" - Judge, December 30, 1893 This political cartoon satirizes President Grover Cleveland's handling of winter conditions and governance challenges. The central figure, a demon-like creature labeled "Public Condemnation," wields a banner with "strange device" while struggling through harsh snow and ice. The imagery suggests Cleveland is beleaguered by multiple crises simultaneously—depicted as swirling difficulties in the surrounding vignettes. The verse references "dark towers" and "tempest overhead," implying Cleveland faces both literal (winter) and metaphorical (political) storms. The "Liluokalani" reference in the caption likely alludes to the Hawaiian queen's deposition (1893), a controversial event during Cleveland's administration. The cartoon criticizes his apparent helplessness against combined natural and political disasters, portraying his presidency as hapless and ineffectual.