The Wasp — 1895 — page 148: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is primarily a **title/masthead page** for *The Wasp*, described as "the oldest cartoon paper in colors in the United States" (established 1876). The decorative header features a large wasp and woodland scenery. The page includes **editorial notes** rather than political cartoons. One discusses Congress meeting March 4th; another criticizes *The Chronicle* newspaper as overly conservative; a third comments on California labor conditions and women's hardship. The left margin shows an **illustration of Uncle Sam** in patriotic dress, likely representing the publication's nationalist stance. The content reflects typical 1890s Progressive-era concerns: labor reform, women's rights, and media criticism—but this is fundamentally a **publishing/subscription page** rather than satirical cartoon content.