The Wasp — 1895 — page 498: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Wasp cartoon satirizes a San Francisco official (identified as "Commish"—likely a police or municipal commissioner) who exploits Fourth of July patriotism for profit. The figure, depicted as a grotesque character with a money bag for a body, juggles flags and fireworks while promoting "Bunting, Flags, Fireworks"—goods he apparently sells. The left panel's "Declaration" critiques how the official invokes patriotic duty and legal authority ("the great unwritten law of commissions") to justify his commercial enterprise, claiming it's necessary for public celebration. The satire targets municipal corruption: the official wraps himself in American symbolism while profiting from holiday commerce, backed by bureaucratic language. The dead eagle at his feet suggests patriotic ideals are being killed by such exploitation. This reflects Progressive-era concerns about political graft in American cities.