Puck — May 28, 1879 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts New York City politics as a dangerous zoo exhibit. The caption quotes "Ring-Master Arthur" (likely Mayor Arthur), promising to conclude a "long and ridiculous exhibition" by demonstrating "how easily the Tammany Tiger can swallow the Combination Mare." The image shows a man in formal dress (representing the Mayor or city administration) observing a caged tiger attacking a horse—visual metaphors for political factions. The "Tammany Tiger" refers to Tammany Hall, the powerful Democratic machine that dominated NYC politics. The "Combination Mare" likely represents a reform coalition challenging Tammany's control. The cartoon mocks municipal government as a spectacle of competing corrupt interests consuming each other, with city leadership merely watching the destructive show unfold.