Daily Telegraph Cartoon

Title: Daily Telegraph cartoon titled 'New South Wales and Her Duty to Restrict'

Date: Tuesday, June 20 1899

Material: Ink on paper

Provenance: The Daily Telegraph, NSW

Courtesy of the State Library of New South Wales

Description: This black and white cartoon depicts a female figure, representing justice, holding a sign with text which reads: Australian Federal Constitution (eligible) yes, and a large capital NO. Behind the figure, on the left of the cartoon, are bricks with the mention of values which 'justice' is seeking to protect such as: a white colony, mineral wealth and one man one vote. At the top right corner, written on the brick text reads; secret conference bill, below breaking through the brick are grotesque, monster like hands with the mention of the 'bad' which Federation would 'protect' against such as, taxation, black labour, minority rule.

Significance: This political cartoon displayed in the Daily Telegraph newspaper represents the atmosphere and popular rhetoric 6 months before Federation. This cartoon is a demonization of minority and multicultural interests, seen in the monstrous hands which represent what was perceived as the negative aspects of society which needed to be protected against. Evidence of political tactics used to perpetuate fear are still widely used today to compel citizens to believe and ultimately to vote in a manner aligned with the views of the creators of the cartoon