The Wasp — 1878 — page 202: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page consists primarily of **editorial text with no visible cartoon illustrations**. It contains three opinion columns addressing contemporary California issues circa late 1800s: 1. **"Foreign Trade"** - argues for expanding American agricultural exports, particularly beef and refrigerated goods, positioning California as a commercial power 2. **"An Explanation"** - defends *The Wasp* against accusations of supporting "Hemp" (likely cannabis legalization), clarifying the publication's conservative editorial stance 3. **"The Sewerage Bill"** - critiques a proposed San Francisco sewage system, and endorses Assemblyman Ellis's bill for a State Hospital for consumptives (tuberculosis patients) The satire is implicit rather than visual—targeting political opponents through argument rather than caricature. The page exemplifies *The Wasp*'s function as a polemical journal addressing local policy debates.