Judge — December 19, 1908 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon satirizes American protectionist tariff policies, likely from the 1908 election period. The image shows a caricatured figure (labeled C.F. Adams, visible on the right) painting or depicting large pigs labeled "PIGS" and marked "PROTECTED." The accompanying text references a New York Evening Post quote describing politicians as "hogs" pushing to the "Protective trough" in Washington, greedily consuming government benefits. The satire criticizes how tariff protection benefited special interests and wealthy industries—depicted as pigs feeding at public expense. The artist is apparently painting propaganda celebrating this system. This reflects the era's debate over free trade versus protectionism, with critics viewing tariffs as corrupt corporate welfare.