Judge — May 26, 1906 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Judge magazine cartoon depicts **"Sympathy"** as an allegorical female figure reaching toward a bag labeled "MILLIONS $" while states radiate behind her like a halo. The figure appears to be soliciting financial sympathy from various U.S. states (Pennsylvania, New York, Colorado, Virginia, Kentucky, Maryland, Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri are visible). The satire critiques what likely represents **charitable appeals or relief efforts** that leverage emotional sympathy to extract money from prosperous states. The cartoon suggests that "sympathy" is being weaponized as a fundraising tool—the figure's gesture toward the money bag reveals the cynical calculation beneath appeals to fellow-feeling. Without the magazine's date, the specific cause remains unclear, though it appears to target perceived exploitation of interstate generosity during an economic crisis or disaster.