Judge — August 16, 1902 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Judge magazine cartoon satirizes Congressional efforts to restrict business activity, likely during an economic crisis or reform period. The image depicts a crowded industrial scene with factory smokestacks and numerous figures representing various business interests—identifiable by labels and period dress suggesting different industries and commercial sectors. The caption references Congressman Charles E. Littlefield of Maine, presenting him as leading a "Chorus of Business Interests" who chant "That's right! Curtail the—" (text cuts off). The satire suggests that business lobbies are hypocritically calling for government restrictions on commerce, likely because such restrictions would disadvantage their competitors while protecting their own interests. The industrial setting emphasizes that this concerns American manufacturing and commerce. The cartoon mocks the self-serving nature of business advocacy and regulatory capture—businesses wanting government intervention only when it benefits them.