Judge — July 2, 1904 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon satirizes what appears to be late 19th or early 20th-century social policy failures. The image shows various labeled issues—including "TENEMENT EVIL," "VICE," "CORRUPTION," and others—depicted as destructive bombs or explosives aimed at impoverished citizens below. The cartoon's title, "Poor Policy," creates a pun: it critiques both policies affecting poor people and poorly-conceived policies generally. The illustration suggests that government neglect or misguided approaches are weaponized against vulnerable populations rather than protecting them. The figure operating the "DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM" device (visible on the left) indicates partisan critique of one party's ineffective responses to social problems. The satire argues that existing policies harm rather than help the poor.