Judge — June 8, 1901 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes wealth inequality and imperialism. Uncle Sam (identifiable by his starred hat and white beard) stands before a mirror examining his reflection, surrounded by money bags and scattered coins. The caption suggests he's comparing himself to a portrait from 1895—six years prior. The satire appears to critique how America's appearance has changed due to accumulated wealth from imperial expansion (the U.S. had recently acquired overseas territories following the Spanish-American War of 1898). Uncle Sam's concern about whether he still recognizes himself suggests anxiety that national character has been corrupted or transformed by greed and imperial acquisitions. The artist is Grant Hamilton, a prominent Judge cartoonist known for political commentary.