The Wasp — 1892 — page 276: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This 1892 *Wasp* cartoon satirizes American foreign policy regarding seal hunting. The central figure labeled "Uncle Sam" rides a grotesque lion-headed creature wearing striped pants, holding a seal pup. A bearded figure (possibly representing another nation, likely Britain) stands in the background near a burning tree. The caption reads: "Uncle Sam—I found out a long time ago, that an anamie shows more of the yaller dog than the lion when you kick him good and hard." The cartoon appears to mock U.S. handling of international disputes over seal hunting rights, likely referencing the Bering Sea Seal Controversy between America and Britain over Alaskan seal populations. The "seal question" involved competing claims and hunting practices. The satire suggests America achieved settlement through aggressive posturing rather than diplomatic compromise.