The Wasp — 1895 — page 679: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This appears to be a promotional advertisement disguised as comparative satire. The central cartoon champions California-manufactured beer—specifically Wielands Extra Pale or Fredericksburg Lager—against unnamed foreign imports. The imagery features two gentlemen flanking bottles, with text urging consumers to choose domestically-produced beer made from "California barley, California hops, and with California labor." The language emphasizes patriotic consumption: "Why not use it and keep the money in the state?" This reflects early 20th-century protectionist sentiment and "Buy American" messaging. The satire targets foreign competitors while promoting local California breweries as economically beneficial. The surrounding advertisements (for tailors, champagne, and other goods) are unrelated commercial content typical of period magazines.