Judge — February 26, 1898 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of Judge Magazine Cover (February 26, 1898) This political cartoon satirizes a prominent figure depicted as a rotund man wielding a hatchet amid destruction. The caption reads "HE DID IT WITH HIS LITTLE HATCHET"—a reference to the George Washington/cherry tree legend about honesty. The imagery suggests the subject is being mocked for claiming responsibility for destruction or controversial actions, ironically invoking the Washington myth. The chaos shown (fallen trees, damaged building) and the figure's aggressive posture indicate the cartoonist is critiquing someone who boasts about destructive policies or decisions. Without the figure's identity clearly labeled, the specific political event or controversy remains unclear from the image alone, though the 1898 date suggests it relates to late-19th-century American politics.