In this 1891 Judge cartoon, a parade of political insiders trudges through the snow toward the gates of “Miss Columbia,” only to find a sign that reads: “Not at home this year.” The message was sharp then and sharper now—when corruption, entitlement, and backroom influence start lining up for their usual privileges, a healthy democracy has every right to slam the gate shut. This artwork poked fun at the power brokers who thought the nation owed them access. Today, it reads like a reminder that the republic belongs to the people, not to the grifters, deal-makers, and would-be authoritarians who keep trying to sneak in through the side door.
Authentic Gilded Age resistance art—because the faces change, but the corruption never does.
In this 1891 Judge cartoon, a parade of political insiders trudges through the snow toward the gates of “Miss Columbia,” only to find a sign that reads: “Not at home this year.” The message was sharp then and sharper now—when corruption, entitlement, and backroom influence start lining up for their usual privileges, a healthy democracy has every right to slam the gate shut. This artwork poked fun at the power brokers who thought the nation owed them access. Today, it reads like a reminder that the republic belongs to the people, not to the grifters, deal-makers, and would-be authoritarians who keep trying to sneak in through the side door.
Authentic Gilded Age resistance art—because the faces change, but the corruption never does.
