Judge — April 15, 1905 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts President Roosevelt (identified by the caption referencing him fighting "the GRAFT evil") confronting corruption. The figure lying prone, labeled "ROTTEN COMMISSARY DEPT," spills bread and supplies—suggesting embezzlement or misappropriation of military provisions. Two military officers observe Roosevelt's action, appearing to approve his anti-corruption efforts. The scattered supplies and the characterization of the commissary as "rotten" symbolize waste and dishonesty in government administration. The cartoon celebrates Roosevelt's progressive crusade against institutional graft—a major political issue of the early 1900s. It portrays him as an aggressive reformer rooting out the "evil" of corruption in federal departments, particularly military supply chains.