Judge — November 4, 1905 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This 1905 *Judge* cartoon satirizes the wealthy through the figure of a portly man whose head is literally a large money bag labeled "DOUGH" with dollar signs. He's depicted stumbling through a city street while various figures—appearing to represent different social classes and professions—pursue him aggressively, reaching out with grasping hands. The satire targets both wealth itself and those who pursue it relentlessly. "Mr. Raffles" (likely referencing the fictional gentleman burglar) represents the wealthy man as simultaneously a victim and the object of universal desire. The cartoon critiques how money attracts parasitic attention from all directions—a commentary on Gilded Age materialism and the corrupting influence of wealth on society.