Judge — August 21, 1897 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This August 1897 *Judge* cartoon satirizes the protective tariff debate. The well-dressed man (left) represents a tariff supporter, examining large inflated sacks labeled with tariff-protected goods and their inflated prices. The sacks are labeled "PRICE OF WHEAT," "PRICE OF WOOL," and similar items, suggesting artificially bloated costs to consumers. The sign references the "Protective Tariff" and "sound money" — economic policies debated during the 1890s. The cartoon's caption, "It is to laugh: The calamity-howler is out of a job," appears ironic, implying tariff critics had legitimate grievances about high prices caused by protectionist policies. The satire mocks either the tariff's ineffectiveness or its harmful consumer impact, depending on the cartoonist's stance.