Judge — June 29, 1895 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Political Cartoon Analysis: Judge Magazine, June 29, 1895 This cartoon satirizes the Democratic Party's newly launched Free-Silver Campaign. The image depicts a large, ornate wheel (labeled to suggest monetary/political machinery) crushing figures beneath it. A donkey—the Democratic Party's symbol—pulls the wheel forward while appearing oblivious to the destruction. The caption "It's Fun for Them, But Death to Their Party!" suggests the cartoon criticizes Democratic leadership for pursuing the free-silver issue, arguing it will harm the party politically. The silhouetted figures on the left appear to be Democratic politicians or supporters cheering the campaign's start, unaware of the damage being caused. Free-silver advocacy was contentious in 1890s American politics, dividing parties and regions over monetary policy.