The Wasp — 1878 — page 428: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page consists primarily of **text articles rather than cartoons**. The main pieces are titled "What We Are Drifting To" and "The Latest Peddling." The articles critique **American political and social conditions**. "What We Are Drifting To" attacks corruption, monopolies, and corporate influence in government—particularly railroad monopolies controlling legislators and state affairs. It condemns gambling, land speculation, and exploitation of workers. "The Latest Peddling" mocks **pretentious American social climbing and consumerism**, contrasting genuine European culture with Americans' shallow materialism and status-seeking through purchased goods and false sophistication. Both pieces employ **satirical social commentary** typical of late 19th-century reform journalism, criticizing wealth inequality, corporate corruption, and moral decline in American society.