The Wasp — 1896 — page 39: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This three-panel cartoon depicts a police officer or lawman using an impossibly long arm to apprehend cyclists. In the top panel, he stands with arms stretched wide. The middle panel shows him grabbing multiple riders simultaneously from a distance. The bottom panel shows him snagging additional cyclists from across a landscape. The satire likely critiques either overly aggressive law enforcement against cyclists, or possibly refers to a specific enforcement campaign or crackdown on bicycle riders during the Gilded Age era when The Wasp was published. The exaggerated imagery mocks the reach or authority of police powers, suggesting their methods were excessive or absurd. The caption "The Long Arm of the Law" plays on this common phrase describing law enforcement's authority.