The Wasp — 1896 — page 216: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is primarily a **title page and contents listing** for The Wasp, "the oldest cartoon paper in colors in the United States," established 1876. The masthead features a large wasp attacking a bear, symbolizing the publication's satirical mission to sting powerful targets. The page includes brief satirical notes on current events: Italian defeats in Abyssinia, local crimes (stolen money, a murder), and social gossip about prominent San Francisco citizens. One item mocks "Mr. Greenway," a businessman criticized for hypocrisy and self-aggrandizement. Rather than elaborate cartoons, this functions as **editorial commentary**—quick, gossipy jabs at local figures and events. The tone is caustic and moralistic, targeting crime, dishonesty, and pretension among the city's elite and middle classes.