Judge — October 21, 1899 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon depicts a figure being struck by a returning boomerang labeled "EXPANSIONISM" while a well-dressed man in a top hat (likely representing political leadership or imperialism) controls the trajectory from the Capitol building in background. The satire criticizes American imperial expansion policies of the 1890s-early 1900s. The boomerang metaphor suggests that aggressive expansionist policies will return to harm their architects. The figure being knocked down appears to represent the working class or common American suffering the consequences of imperialist ambitions. The cartoon suggests Judge's editorial stance that imperial ventures abroad would produce negative "blowback" effects domestically—a prescient critique of expansionism's costs.