The Wasp — 1896 — page 775: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This appears to be a political cartoon from *The Wasp* magazine depicting Perseus McKinley preparing to deal with a sea monster. The visible labels include "VERMONT," "MAINE," and what appears to be "SEWALL" and "BRYAN" on the figures shown. The cartoon uses classical mythology—Perseus slaying the Medusa—as an allegory for McKinley confronting political opponents or threats. The sea monster likely represents either an opposing political force or a scandal/crisis. The labeled figures suggest this relates to the 1896 or 1900 presidential election era, when McKinley faced William Jennings Bryan and his running mate Adlai Stevenson (or possibly Arthur Sewall in 1896). The satire appears to frame McKinley as a heroic figure defeating his political enemies, though without the publication date, precise identification of all figures remains uncertain.