Judge — August 22, 1896 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts figures worshipping at an altar labeled "Free Trade—My Favorite Hobby." The central scene shows men in formal dress bowing before an ornate pedestal, while indigenous figures and armed warriors surround them, appearing to represent colonial or imperial subjects. The satire critiques free-trade advocates (the "idolaters") as blindly devoted to commercial ideology. The imagery suggests that free trade policies, particularly regarding colonial territories, involved exploitation masked by economic rhetoric. The contrast between the formally dressed Western businessmen and the armed, subjugated figures emphasizes how free-trade doctrine served imperial expansion and resource extraction. The banner reading "I've Done Enough For My Country" (partially visible) reinforces the ironic message: advocates claimed moral superiority while pursuing exploitative policies. This reflects late-19th-century American debates over trade protectionism versus free trade during imperial expansion.