The Wasp — 1895 — page 233: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts **Mayor Adolph Sutro of San Francisco** as a hypocrite. The text describes how Sutro publicly claimed to be a philanthropist committed to civic improvements, but was actually a ruthless businessman enriching himself through questionable dealings. Specifically, the cartoon mocks Sutro's involvement with the Sutro Tunnel Company and the Bank of California. According to the article, Sutro promised to run a railroad through a cemetery to benefit the public, but actually used the project to manipulate stock prices and enrich himself. The skeleton and graveyard imagery emphasizes this exploitation of the dead. The satire targets Sutro's gap between his public benevolent image and private financial scheming—a common target of *The Wasp*'s investigative political humor.