Judge — December 13, 1902 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Stand Pat" (December 19, 1902) This cartoon satirizes Senator Mark Hanna's advice to "Uncle Sam" (the U.S. government). Hanna, a powerful Republican kingmaker, is shown dealing cards labeled with various political positions—"Patronage," "Public Service," "Prosperity," and "Protection"—suggesting he controls government policy like a card game. The title "Stand Pat" is a poker term meaning to keep your current hand without drawing new cards. The satire criticizes Hanna's conservative political strategy of maintaining the status quo rather than pursuing reform or change. The caption claims "Four of this kind are pretty hard to beat," mocking Hanna's confidence in his political establishment while implying his approach is mere gambling with the nation's interests rather than principled governance.