The Wasp — 1876 — page 94: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is the title page and an editorial cartoon for *The Wasp*, a San Francisco satirical publication. The lower cartoon depicts "The Reason why Senator Booth voted against the Hawaiian Sugar Treaty." It shows a man (Senator Booth) seated at a table with a demon or devil figure representing the Beet Sugar Company of Sacramento (N. Booth & Co., proprietors). The implication is that Booth's vote against Hawaiian sugar legislation was motivated by his financial interest in domestic beet sugar production—a conflict of interest. The demon/devil personification emphasizes the satirical critique that corporate interests corrupted political decisions. This reflects 19th-century American tensions between Hawaiian and domestic sugar industries and protectionist politics.