Puck — August 20, 1879 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of Puck Magazine Page 371 This page contains political satire criticizing Senator Roscoe Conkling of New York. The main cartoon depicts a policeman labeled "John Brown, Policeman" who has "clubbed" someone on August 16, 1879—referencing an actual incident. The accompanying poem "SADI" mocks Conkling's response to this police brutality. The satire suggests Conkling, despite claiming to support charity and reform, failed to properly address the assault. The text criticizes him for prioritizing self-interest and political gain over justice. The left column attacks "Free Masonry," using Conkling as an example of elite hypocrisy—someone who publicly promotes virtue while privately enabling corruption. The satire's central point: Conkling's claimed "greatest effort of his life" for public service masks his actual indifference to justice for ordinary citizens.