Puck — May 14, 1879 — page 2: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of Puck Magazine Page 146 This page contains an editorial cartoon titled "California's Constitution" featuring a caricatured female figure labeled as California. The satire criticizes California's adoption of a new state constitution, depicting the state as a chaotic, ill-conceived entity. The accompanying text argues that California's "boundlessness" and "arrogance" reflect deeper problems—excessive wealth, selfish capitalism, and reckless railroad and mining interests that have corrupted the state's governance. The cartoon suggests California's new constitution fails to address these systemic issues, instead merely rearranging governmental structures without meaningful reform. The female personification appears disheveled or distressed, symbolizing the state's troubled condition despite constitutional revision. The satire targets California's economic elites and their influence over policy.