Judge — March 24, 1906 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Judge magazine cartoon titled "Square Deal" depicts a conflict over railroad regulation. A figure in a top hat (likely representing a railroad magnate or monopolist) operates a large wheel labeled "JUST & EQUITABLE RAILROAD RATE," while other figures—possibly representing Congress or the public interest—attempt to control or redirect it with tools and implements. The "Square Deal" reference suggests this relates to Theodore Roosevelt's progressive policies on railroad regulation and corporate accountability. The cartoon satirizes the struggle between wealthy railroad interests and government reformers seeking fair rates and honest competition. The exaggerated caricatures and violent imagery suggest the cartoonist viewed this as a pitched battle for economic justice, with corporate power resisting regulatory oversight.