Judge — March 30, 1889 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon satirizes President Harrison's foreign policy regarding Samoa. The caption "Ben and Bizzy" references Harrison and Bismarck (the German Chancellor). The image depicts armed German and British figures confronting a small American character (representing the U.S.) over Samoa (labeled "Blut und Eisen"—Blood and Iron). A palm tree in the background suggests the tropical Pacific location. The cartoon's point: American newspapers were advising Harrison to send Benjamin Butler on a diplomatic mission to Samoa, arguing that neither the aggressive Bismarck nor the British would "bully or beatweat him." The satire mocks this naive confidence, showing the U.S. vastly outmatched by European imperial powers in colonial competition.