Judge — January 23, 1897 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "A Warning Voice" This January 1897 *Judge* cartoon depicts Lady Justice pointing downward at three caricatured political figures crawling along a path labeled "Irretrievable Extinction." The figures appear to represent corrupt politicians or leaders, depicted with exaggerated features common to period political cartoons. Lady Justice stands above a banner reading "Honest Upright Government and Restraint," suggesting these figures have abandoned such principles. The caption—"Stop! while there is yet time, and follow the road I am pointing out to you"—warns that their current trajectory leads to ruin. The satire critiques political corruption and moral decline among leadership, urging a return to honest governance. Without identifying specific individuals, the cartoon functions as a general warning about the consequences of abandoning democratic and ethical standards.