Judge — December 7, 1901 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This December 1901 *Judge* cartoon satirizes President Theodore Roosevelt's foreign policy, specifically his naval ambitions. The figure labeled "SHIPPING" represents American merchant marine interests, depicted as a skeletal victim being strangled by a chain. The cartoon critiques McKinley's (the previous administration's) shipping policy through Roosevelt's perspective. The chain labeled "SHIPPING" symbolizes how inadequate naval support has weakened American commercial power. The Capitol building visible through the porthole suggests Congress is responsible for this failure. Roosevelt's famous saying "We must have more ships!" appears as the caption, endorsing naval expansion as essential to American prosperity. The skeleton imagery emphasizes that without improved shipping infrastructure and naval protection, American commerce faces death. The satire advocates for Roosevelt's interventionist maritime policy.