This illustration entitled, “A Burden That Cannot be Honorably Disposed of at Present”, by cartoonist Clifford Berryman, which appeared in the Washington Post on September 25, 1899. It depicts Uncle Sam with a crying Philippine baby on his back, representing Philippine insurrection, while Spain looks on contently, happy to be rid of the burden.
The Philippine Islands, recently acquired from Spain in the Spanish-American War, continue to be a burden for the United States. Such tensions escalated to war in February of 1899 as the Filipino people began their struggle for independence.
