Historical Political Cartoon: Civil Service Reform and Party Politics #55954 (License: Personal Use)

This black-and-white political cartoon, signed by artist W. A. Rogers, critiques late-19th-century U.S. civil service reform debates. A central figure-likely representing President Chester A. Arthur or a reform advocate-hands a blanket labeled “CIVIL SERVICE” to a woman marked “DOLNOT PARTY” (a pun on “Do-Nothing Party,” mocking Democrats), while a departing “REPUBLICAN PARTY” woman carries a basket labeled “GINK’S BABY,” referencing patronage politics. The scene uses allegory to highlight partisan resistance to merit-based appointments.

Used in historical analyses of Gilded Age politics, educational resources on civil service reform (e.g., Pendleton Act of 1883), and digital archives of political satire; matches user intent seeking primary-source visual commentary on U.S. party dynamics and bureaucratic reform.