Judge — November 14, 1903 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon satirizes Uncle Sam's complacent trade policy. The title refers to President Theodore Roosevelt's stance of maintaining the status quo on tariffs—"standing pat" rather than reforming them. The cartoon shows two devil-like figures (representing competing foreign interests or trade manipulators) playing cards over a cauldron labeled "INCREASE OF THE U.S." with stacks of money. Uncle Sam watches passively, declaring "It's a great American game, Johnny!"—sarcastically suggesting he's been sidelined from economic policy-making. The small figures in the cauldron likely represent American workers or citizens caught in the trade disputes. The satire criticizes the administration for allowing powerful interests to control trade policy while ordinary Americans suffer the consequences, rather than actively managing the nation's economic welfare.