This political cartoon, titled "Can't Run the Thing," was created by Victor Gillam and published in the satirical magazine Judge in 1903. The image depicts a disheveled figure representing the Cuban government sitting next to an overturned automobile labeled "Cuban Government." The automobile has crashed off the "Sound Government Road" and lies damaged against rocks labeled "Cuba's Lack of Financial Resources." In the foreground, a figure symbolizing the United States, dressed in an Uncle Sam suit, observes the scene from a distance with concern. A "U.S. Exporter" has likewise been thrown from the car and lies damaged in a ditch.
This cartoon comments on the political situation in Cuba following the Spanish-American War and the subsequent Platt Amendment, which allowed the United States significant control over Cuban affairs. The imagery suggests that the Cuban government is incapable of managing its own affairs and requires American intervention to maintain stability and financial solvency. The cartoon reflects the broader American attitudes towards imperialism and intervention in Latin America during the early 20th century.