Judge — April 30, 1898 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This appears to be a political cartoon from **Judge magazine** criticizing American intervention in Cuba under Spanish rule. The caption reads: "Peace, Cuba under Spanish rule is worse than hell." The image depicts caricatured figures (likely American politicians or military leaders) seemingly indifferent to or complicit in Cuban suffering under Spanish colonial oppression. The American flag frames the scene, suggesting critique of U.S. policy toward Cuba. The satire likely references the **Spanish-American War era** (1898) or preceding debates about American intervention. The cartoon argues that remaining passive while Spain ruled Cuba meant accepting atrocities—that inaction itself constituted moral failure. The grotesque depiction of suffering figures emphasizes the human cost of maintaining the status quo in colonial Cuba.