Judge — July 6, 1901 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Judge magazine cover from July 6, 1901 satirizes President William McKinley's Independence Day celebration. The central figure labeled "DEMOCRACY" is explosively ejected skyward by a cannon labeled "PROSPERITY," while a caricatured McKinley watches with apparent delight from the left. The White House appears in the background. The cartoon critiques McKinley's administration by suggesting that while prosperity and economic success (the cannon blast) appear triumphant, they come at democracy's expense—literally blowing it apart. The satirical point seems to be that McKinley's policies prioritized business interests and imperial expansion over democratic principles, particularly relevant given American involvement in the Philippines during this period.