Judge — October 31, 1903 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon depicts a crowd of figures beneath an elaborate arch labeled "ROGRESS" (Progress), with text describing it as a place "where race despair behind." The image appears to satirize American progress and prosperity claims by showing them constructed upon or supported by masses of people—likely representing working classes or marginalized groups whose labor enables the nation's advancement. The arch symbolizes national achievement and triumph, but the cartoon's composition suggests this progress comes at the expense of those depicted below, critiquing the gap between America's self-congratulatory narrative of progress and the actual conditions of ordinary citizens. This reflects common early 20th-century *Judge* magazine satire about economic inequality and whose interests truly benefit from national "progress."