The Wasp — 1896 — page 632: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon satirizes William Jennings Bryan, the Democratic presidential candidate, during his speaking tour. The caption references Bryan's position on monetary policy: while he famously championed "free silver" (unlimited coinage of silver), opponents called him a "goldbug"—a term typically reserved for gold-standard advocates—to mock the contradiction. The cartoon shows Bryan at a "Free Silver Bureau" window labeled "Cashier," accepting money while notices advertise paid expenses and campaign funds. The satire suggests Bryan hypocritically profited financially from his free-silver lectures despite his populist rhetoric against wealthy interests. The heading "The Effete East's Idea of San Francisco" indicates this represents Eastern establishment mockery of Western political movements.