Judge — March 12, 1898 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Diplomacy and Politics" — Judge Magazine, March 12, 1898 This political cartoon satirizes international diplomacy surrounding Spain during the Spanish-American War crisis. The figure on the left, labeled "DE LÔME" (Spanish diplomat Enrique Dupuy de Lôme), stands on Spanish soil. Two figures in top hats approach the White House, carrying what appear to be diplomatic documents or treaties. The tablets in the foreground list various diplomatic issues and grievances. The cartoon mocks the failure of Spanish diplomatic efforts to prevent American intervention. Spain's diplomatic corps—represented by the documents and formal negotiations—proves ineffective against American political pressure. The satire suggests formal diplomacy cannot resolve the underlying conflict, with the White House remaining unmoved by Spanish entreaties. This reflects the period's growing American interventionism and the approaching Spanish-American War (declared April 1898).