Judge — June 2, 1900 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This 1900 Judge cartoon satirizes American imperial expansion. The central figure—appearing to be Uncle Sam or a similar American authority figure—is besieged by various "pests" depicted as small caricatured figures swarming around him, holding signs referencing expansion and related issues. The cartoon criticizes how territorial expansion (likely referring to post-Spanish-American War acquisitions like the Philippines, Cuba, and Puerto Rico) created ongoing problems. The "pests" represent the complications and conflicts arising from managing these new territories—insurgencies, resistance movements, and administrative headaches. The title "Another Pest" suggests this is one in a series of problems plaguing American policymakers. The satire mocks the consequences of expansionist policies, depicting them as bothersome nuisances rather than triumphs of American power.