Explanation of cartoon
The people behind the hand are the wealthy businessmen that are greedily wanting to annex Hawaii. They see it as a great asset because of the pineapples and sugar cane, as shown on the Big Island of Hawaii. Next, to the businessmen are bags of money to show the great profits they would gain from Hawaii's annexation. The only people shown are businessmen because they were the ones that initiated the annexation calls.
Background
Hawaii was becoming a great asset to the United States as it provided sugar and pineapples. This caused the businessmen of America to greedily demand Hawaii to be annexed into the U.S. as Hawaii was beginning to be an extension of the United States. It was the desire of the wealthy planters to demand the annexation and not the general public. White American planters blocked the Hawaiian Queen Liliuokalani and her desire to keep the islands for the natives. The whites revolted and aided the American troops. However, President Cleveland withdrew the treaty to annex Hawaii, believing that America had wronged the Hawaiians and their queen. The annexation of Hawaii was postponed in the meantime.