The Wasp — 1878 — page 334: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page combines satirical commentary on contemporary San Francisco issues with poetry and letters to the editor. The cartoon at top left depicts **Green's peas** being hauled by insects—likely a visual pun mocking a commercial product or advertiser. The main text attacks **William Wellock**, apparently a police or prison official, for his harsh treatment of inmates at an industrial school. The satire criticizes his cruelty toward young offenders and his dismissive attitude toward reform. A separate section titled "A Clause For Charity" discusses the **Workingmen's Convention** (May 17, 1878), specifically Mr. Wellock's objection to exempting blind people from taxation. The satirist argues this position is heartless and contradicts Christian charity. The poetry sections address church matters and social hypocrisy, typical of The Wasp's moral satirizing of public figures and institutions.