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A complete, restored issue of Judge from 1888-06-30 — all 16 pages of color political cartoons and topical humor, free to page through at comicbooks.com.

On the cover: # Political Cartoon Analysis: "The Learned P—resident" This June 30, 1888 *Judge* cartoon satirizes a U.S. President (likely Cleveland, given the date) as a trained circus animal. The sign reads "Great Democratic English Circus," and the figure operates a pig labeled "Free Trade" on strings like a puppet or performing animal. The caption, "The Learned P—resident. Professor John Bull's very apt pupil," suggests the President is controlled by British interests (John Bull represents England) and is essentially a trained performing animal, not an independent leader. The satire attacks the President's free-trade policies as subservient to British economic interests and ridicules him as intellectually compromised—a "learned" performer executing tricks rather than governing with genuine American independence. This reflects 1888 protectionist sentiment opposing free trade.

🖼️ Every page has a plain-English note on what you’re looking at — the figures, the references, the point of the satire.

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A complete issue · 16 pages · 1888

Judge — June 30, 1888

1888-06-30 · Free to read

Judge — June 30, 1888 — page 1
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# Political Cartoon Analysis: "The Learned P—resident" This June 30, 1888 *Judge* cartoon satirizes a U.S. President (likely Cleveland, given the date) as a trained circus animal. The sign reads "Great Democratic English Circus," and the figure operates a pig labeled "Free Trade" on strings like a puppet or performing animal. The caption, "The Learned P—resident. Professor John Bull's very apt pupil," suggests the President is controlled by British interests (John Bull represents England) and is essentially a trained performing animal, not an independent leader. The satire attacks the President's free-trade policies as subservient to British economic interests and ridicules him as intellectually compromised—a "learned" performer executing tricks rather than governing with genuine American independence. This reflects 1888 protectionist sentiment opposing free trade.

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  1. Page 1 # Political Cartoon Analysis: "The Learned P—resident" This June 30, 1888 *Judge* cartoon satirizes a U.S. President (likely Cleveland, given the date) as a tra…
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