The Wasp — 1896 — page 813: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical critique of Theodore Roosevelt's conservation policies under the guise of "Protection Farm" (managed by W.S. McKinley, according to the sign). Uncle Sam—depicted as an elderly gentleman in top hat and striped trousers—sits atop a fence overlooking a troubled farm. The crops labeled below represent failing American industries and values: "Sound Money," "Public Credit," "Confidence," "Revived Industries," "Repudiation Pumpkins," and "Anarchy Beans." The cartoon suggests Roosevelt's protective tariff policies and farm management are actually producing poor results—growing discord, financial instability, and anarchic conditions rather than genuine prosperity. The satirist argues that the government's intervention is counterproductive, cultivating problems instead of solutions for the American economy.