Die steigende Flut
1904
Imagine being a governor and getting swept away by a giant wave of public anger! In this 1904 political cartoon by Grant Hamilton, New York Governor Benjamin Odell is literally being lifted out of the water by a massive wave labeled 'Popular Indignation.' He's desperately holding onto a rope attached to a barge labeled 'Barge Canal $255,000,000,' implying that this massive, expensive infrastructure project is the anchor dragging him into trouble. With signs for New York and Albany in the background, this piece is a sharp critique of political corruption and excessive spending at the turn of the century, showing how public outrage can upend even the most powerful figures.
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