Judge — April 18, 1903 — page 11: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Judge magazine cartoon satirizes American political figures through animal caricatures. A rooster labeled "CONGRESSIONAL" and other birds labeled with political positions (appears to include "PORTO RICO" and "NAVY") scratch around a "CONGRESSIONAL CHICKEN COOP." A large figure on the left—wearing a star-spangled sombrero, suggesting Uncle Sam or an American expansionist—oversees the scene. The caption reads "...SHE CAN SCRATCH FOR THEM," implying the female figure (likely representing America or Congress) must provide resources or sustenance to these political interests. This likely critiques early 20th-century American imperialism and the allocation of congressional funds to military and colonial ventures, with the birds representing competing political interests fighting over resources the nation must supply.