The Wasp — 1878 — page 56: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon satirizes what appears to be a military or law enforcement response characterized by excessive show but minimal actual accomplishment. The title "Much Cry and Little Wool" is a proverb meaning much fuss with little result. The image depicts armed figures (soldiers or police, identifiable by uniforms, helmets, and weapons) confronting what appears to be a small, fleeing group on a street corner (Law Avenue and Riot Alley). The disparity is stark: heavily armed, official-looking men versus a small, scattered crowd. Without additional context about specific 1878 San Francisco events, the exact target is unclear, but the cartoon criticizes an apparently disproportionate or ineffectual official response to civil unrest or disorder.