Judge — September 8, 1906 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts the determination to build the Panama Canal despite obstacles. The incomplete caption reads "The Panama Canal will be dug, no matter..." suggesting unstoppable resolve. The image shows figures representing American interests (marked "U.S. Const. Co." on a building) operating heavy machinery in mountainous terrain. What appears to be a government official holds a document labeled "Gov. Panama Franchise," indicating U.S. negotiations for canal rights. The cartoon satirizes American determination to construct the canal regardless of challenges—whether natural (mountains), political (Panama's sovereignty), or practical. This reflects early 20th-century American expansionism and confidence in accomplishing the ambitious engineering project, which began in 1907 and opened in 1914.