Judge — September 3, 1898 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "A Testimonial to Uncle Sam" This September 3, 1898 *Judge* cartoon satirizes American imperialism following the Spanish-American War. The central figure appears to be Uncle Sam (personification of the U.S. government), depicted as a mummy wrapped in bandages—suggesting he's been consumed or damaged by imperial ambitions. The letter he holds, signed "Sham," reads as a mock testimonial praising Uncle Sam for being "mean and cruel" and "wasteful" toward his "invalids," suggesting the war effort harmed Americans, particularly soldiers and veterans. The satirical title treats this as a positive "testimonial," but the visual imagery (mummy, deterioration) and sarcastic letter content convey criticism of American military expansion and its human costs. The cartoon opposes the war's imperial agenda.