The Wasp — 1896 — page 522: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This *Wasp* cartoon satirizes the 1886 Stockton Convention, a significant political event. A well-dressed figure in a top hat (representing a political figure or party leader) stands at a cemetery, literally keeping the graves of defeated politicians "green"—meaning he perpetuates their memory and relevance. The headstones reference: - **Miles Scarlett** (defeated Supreme Judge, 1842) - **Barkley Henley** (committed suicide at convention, 1886) - **Mike Carpey** (defeated for Lieutenant Governor, 1886) - **W.D. English** and **Billy Foote** (additional casualties) The caption mocks how political conventions repeatedly resurrect failed or disgraced figures. The satirist suggests the convention's organizer obsessively maintains these political "graves," treating past defeats as ongoing concerns rather than moving forward—a critique of political stagnation or vengeful party politics.