A complete issue · 18 pages · 1879
Puck — November 5, 1879
# Puck Magazine, November 5, 1879 **"WHERE IS THE WINNER?"** This cartoon satirizes a disputed election outcome, likely the contested 1879 elections. The main image shows several grotesque male figures in a forest setting gathered around what appears to be a spinning wheel or voting mechanism, with one figure operating it. The title questions who legitimately won. The top banner reads "What fools these Mortals be!" (a Shakespeare reference), with a small devil-like figure holding an anarchist flag—suggesting the cartoon views radical politics as foolish trickery. The satire appears to mock election fraud, manipulation, or the chaotic uncertainty of determining an actual winner through potentially rigged voting processes. The grotesque caricatures emphasize the cartoon's contempt for the political figures involved in the disputed contest.
# Page Analysis: Puck Magazine, Issue 554 This page is primarily **text-based editorial and advertising content** rather than illustrated cartoons. The main articles discuss **Policeman Williams**, who appears to have been involved in a significant incident—the text references complaints against him, his dismissal by police commissioners, and debate over whether he should be reinstated. The editorial advocates for his reinstatement, arguing he was treated unjustly. A secondary piece titled "Justice" discusses **two Bulgarians (Pinaforés)** visiting the country, sarcastically noting Americans will judge them fairly. The page includes **subscription information and business notices** for Puck at the top. Without identifying specific illustrated figures, the satirical tone targets police department corruption and administrative injustice regarding Officer Williams's case—a contemporary New York scandal.
# Puck Magazine Page 555 Analysis This page contains three satirical sections: **"A Protest"** (top left): Residents of Washington D.C.'s 19th precinct protest Captain Williams's neighborhood transfer, fearing his departure will harm the area. **"Our Rulers"** (left column): A critique of American government ineffectiveness. The piece argues that while the nation has a president and cabinet, actual governance is limited and often misguided. It sarcastically suggests that Washington politicians frequently make poor decisions and that their opportunities for productive action are restricted compared to other nations' critical functions. **"Fitznoodle in America"** (right): A fashionable tourist's satirical account of observing American life and manners, criticizing various aspects of American society and culture through a foreigner's supposedly superior perspective—a common Puck device for domestic social criticism. The cartoon illustrations support these written commentaries.
