Judge — July 10, 1897 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Political Cartoon Analysis: "A Pair of Kids" This 1897 *Judge* cartoon by Grant E. Hamilton satirizes U.S. imperial ambitions regarding Cuba. The devil-like figure represents American expansionism or imperialist greed, depicted as a malevolent force "rocking the cradle" of two infant figures labeled "Little Atlantic Cuba" and "Little Pacific" (likely referring to U.S. territories or spheres of influence). The satire criticizes how America is treating these regions as playthings or possessions to manipulate, rather than as independent entities. The diabolic imagery suggests the moral corruption inherent in imperial conquest. Published during the Spanish-American War period, when Cuba's fate was hotly debated, the cartoon warns against American intervention presented as benevolent guardianship.