Life — July 27, 1899 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This is the cover of *Life* magazine from July 27, 1896 (Volume XXXIV, Number 870). The main cartoon, titled "Growing on Him," depicts a massive elephant labeled "PHILIPPINE" with a small human figure standing beside it for scale. McKinley's quoted reaction—"Good heavens! Was it an elephant I bought or a mastodon?"—suggests he's overwhelmed by the size and burden of the Philippines. This references the Spanish-American War and the subsequent U.S. acquisition of the Philippine Islands as a territory. The cartoon satirizes President McKinley's surprise at the magnitude of governing and supporting this new colonial possession. The elephant's enormous proportions symbolize an unexpectedly massive financial and political commitment "growing" beyond McKinley's initial expectations.