The Wasp — 1895 — page 215: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon depicts a well-dressed figure in a top hat labeled "OVERLAND" speaking to a woman holding a document labeled "HUNDRED MILLION BOND ISSUE." The figure appears to be a railroad magnate or financial operator (the "Overland" likely refers to the Central Pacific or Union Pacific railroad). The satire concerns the issuance of large bonds—a financial practice where the railroad seeks massive public investment. The cartoon's message suggests corruption or manipulation: the elegant, confident businessman is persuading or coercing the woman (representing the public or government) to accept this bond issue. The caricatured features and exaggerated clothing emphasize the figure's predatory nature or dubious character, typical of Gilded Age critiques of railroad monopolies and their financial schemes.