Judge — August 31, 1895 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Judge magazine cartoon depicts two figures amid rural destruction—broken fences and debris surround a cottage and church. The standing figure wears a top hat and holds a rifle labeled "PUBLIC CREDIT," while a seated figure in formal dress looks up at him. The caption reads "FER WATERMILLION, ANYHOW!"—a colloquial phrase suggesting something was done "for watermelon anyway," invoking a racist stereotype about African Americans. This appears to be Reconstruction-era satire (likely 1870s-80s) criticizing the use of federal authority ("Public Credit") to enforce political or economic policies in the South. The cartoon likely mocks Reconstruction efforts as destructive and absurd, using racial caricature to demean the context. The specific historical reference remains unclear without additional context.