The Wasp — 1888 — page 90: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon, titled "Which Will Win?", depicts a violent street confrontation. Three men armed with clubs and revolvers attack a bearded figure in flowing robes—likely representing a Chinese immigrant or Chinese labor presence. The figures on the left appear to be working-class white men, possibly representing labor interests or anti-Chinese activists. The satire comments on San Francisco's intense labor and racial tensions of the 1880s, when anti-Chinese sentiment was widespread among working-class Americans who blamed Chinese immigrants for labor competition. *The Wasp* was a satirical publication that often featured provocative imagery reflecting contemporary social conflicts. The cartoon's title poses a cynical question about which force—labor violence or Chinese immigration—would ultimately prevail in the city.