The Wasp — 1889 — page 58: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon depicts the Samoan crisis of the late 1880s. "Uncle Sam" (representing America) urges Bismarck (the German chancellor, left, in spiked military helmet) to "give the little fellow a chance"—the "little fellow" being the caricatured Samoan figure in the center. The well-dressed figure on the right appears to represent another colonial power, likely Britain. The cartoon satirizes imperial competition over Samoa. Germany was aggressively expanding Pacific influence, threatening American and British interests. The satire suggests the U.S. is advocating for Samoan independence or fair treatment against European colonial domination, though the "little fellow's" exaggerated caricature reflects the period's racist attitudes toward Pacific Islanders.