The Wasp — 1895 — page 276: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Wasp cartoon satirizes American intervention in Nicaragua. The figure on the left represents a wealthy American businessman or General John Bull (Anglo-American imperialism), operating a storefront labeled "John Bull General Merchandise" with a sign reading "Silver Not Accepted Here." The caricatured figure on the right, labeled "Nicaragua," is being threatened with a large revolver. A sign reads "We Furnished $150,000 Worth of Blow Your Horns End Hoot!" — apparently referencing American financial involvement or loans to Nicaragua. The satire critiques American economic coercion and military intimidation of Central American nations, portraying the U.S. as a bully forcing its terms on smaller countries while refusing their currency and extracting repayment through threats.