The Wasp — 1896 — page 364: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Wasp cartoon depicts three well-dressed men seated at a dinner table, with place cards identifying them as "CULLOM," "McKINLEY," and "ALLISON." The visible text fragments suggest references to "STIOUS" (likely "AMBITIOUS") and "WANT PIE." The satire appears to target Republican political figures engaged in self-interested dealings—the "pie" being a metaphor for power, patronage, or spoils. The formal dinner setting suggests backroom political dealing among party leaders. The cartoon critiques what The Wasp viewed as corrupt motivations driving these politicians' actions, depicting them as greedy participants in the spoils system rather than public servants. Without certain dates or additional context, the specific political controversy remains unclear, though this reflects Gilded Age critiques of machine politics.