The Wasp — 1888 — page 214: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily text-based editorial commentary rather than a cartoon. It's a scathing critique of California's prohibition movement and its supporters. The article argues that prohibitionists are hypocritical and destructive, claiming they waste public funds on enforcement while ignoring actual social problems. It references specific California locations (Napa, Yolo counties) and mentions named figures like Stephen Girard and George Peabody as historical examples of philanthropists. The satire mocks prohibitionists for claiming moral superiority while allegedly being motivated by greed and control rather than genuine reform. The piece particularly attacks their claim that prohibition creates prosperity, citing wine industry statistics and foreign examples (France, Germany) to argue prohibition harms commerce. The fundamental argument: prohibitionists are sanctimonious, economically destructive, and motivated by hidden agendas rather than genuine temperance advocacy.