Judge — February 24, 1894 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of "Washington's Birthday" Cartoon (Judge, February 24, 1894) This political cartoon compares two figures on pedestals before the Capitol building. The left figure, labeled "Grover" (President Grover Cleveland), stands atop a precarious stack of blocks reading "Starvation," "Un-American," "Sham," "Failure," and other criticisms. The right figure is a statue of George Washington. Cleveland's quoted boast—"Say, he did some great things in his time. But look what I've done! He isn't in it with me"—is clearly ironic. The cartoon satirizes Cleveland's policies (likely referencing his handling of the 1893 economic depression and tariff disputes) by suggesting his "accomplishments" are actually failures and negative consequences, contrasting unfavorably with Washington's genuine legacy.