Judge — October 30, 1897 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Judge magazine cartoon by Victor Gillam satirizes American imperial expansion. The figure labeled "CUBA" sits dejected in the foreground, while a standing figure labeled "HAWAII" gestures dismissively. Uncle Sam (representing the U.S. government) appears to be deciding between acquiring both territories—a reference to late-19th-century American expansionism. The classical architectural setting suggests civilization and empire-building. The caption's incomplete text ("Say, Uncle Sam, don't you th[ink]...") likely poses a rhetorical question about acquiring these islands. This reflects the period around the Spanish-American War (1898) and subsequent U.S. territorial acquisitions in the Caribbean and Pacific. The cartoon critiques—or possibly endorses, depending on Judge's stance—America's imperialist ambitions during this era of colonial expansion.