The Wasp — 1889 — page 335: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon depicts Uncle Sam (representing the United States) confronting "Miss Spanish America" — personified as a woman holding a large platter or plate. The caption reads: "UNCLE SAM: MISS SPANISH AMERICA, YOU HAVE SOME EXTENSIVE BACK WITH YOU AND LOSE THEM?" The satire concerns American imperial ambitions in Latin America, likely referencing U.S. territorial acquisitions or interventions in Spanish-American colonies. "Lose them" suggests Uncle Sam is offering to take Spanish American territories off Spain's hands — or implying the U.S. should acquire them. The well-dressed gentlemen in the background appear to be European powers or diplomats observing this transaction, suggesting international competition for colonial control. This reflects late 19th/early 20th-century debates about American expansionism and imperialism in the Western Hemisphere.