Judge — October 8, 1898 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Judge Magazine, October 8, 1898: "The Public Know It" This political cartoon by Victor Gillam criticizes political corruption in America. A well-dressed man in a top hat (likely representing a corrupt American politician) reads a newspaper while figures in the background appear to represent European political assassins and violence. The caption states: "The cowardly assassin of Europe is only equaled by the political would-be assassin of character in America." The satire draws a parallel between European political violence and American political corruption—suggesting that while Europe relies on literal assassination, American politicians commit character assassination through corrupt practices. The cartoon warns that such political corruption is as dangerous to the nation as physical violence is to European governments. The specific political context remains somewhat unclear without additional documentation.