Judge — June 23, 1894 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Judge magazine cartoon satirizes American political corruption through a Shakespeare reference. It depicts Uncle Sam as Prince Henry from *Henry IV*, addressing various corrupt figures portrayed as Falstaff and his associates—caricatured as demonic or grotesque characters labeled with terms like "Profits" and "Graft." The satire compares Uncle Sam's promise to reform the nation (echoing Prince Henry's vow to abandon Falstaff's corrupting influence) to Shakespeare's moral redemption arc. The figures around him represent different forms of corruption and malfeasance the U.S. government must purge. A sign reading "PUBLIC OFFICE IS PUBLIC TRUST" reinforces the reform message. The cartoon advocates for governmental cleanup of corruption and return to ethical principles, using classical literary allusion to elevate the political critique.