The Wasp — 1878 — page 105: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **text content** rather than cartoon illustrations. The masthead shows *The Illustrated Wasp* logo with decorative design. The main articles critique **religious hypocrisy**, particularly attacking a distinguished San Francisco preacher who blamed poor people for their poverty while wealthy congregants ignored charitable obligations. The text argues this clergyman's sermons are cruel, comparing his logic to using "Nero fiddled while Rome burned." A secondary section praises San Francisco newspapers for exposing corruption and mocks a character named "A. Magee" for allegedly stealing from the publication. The page concludes with discussion of "The Territorial Pioneers," a membership organization seeking state recognition. The satire targets **institutional religious judgment of the poor** and **newspaper integrity** during the Gilded Age.