Judge — September 1, 1894 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Judge magazine cartoon depicts **Li Hung Chang** (a prominent Chinese statesman) caricatured with exaggerated Asian features, dressed in elaborate robes decorated with "Sugar Schedule" text. He's addressing "Emperor Uncle Sam" (representing the United States government). The satire concerns American **sugar tariff policy**. Li Hung Chang appears to be mocking U.S. attempts to remove or modify sugar trade protections, suggesting China will resist such changes. The "Sugar Schedule" prominently displayed mocks what the cartoonist saw as America's hypocrisy—claiming free trade principles while maintaining protectionist tariffs. The caricature reflects late-19th-century American attitudes toward Chinese diplomats and Asian otherness. The ornate garden setting and exotic insects reinforce orientalist stereotyping common in period satire.