The Wasp — 1889 — page 171: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes **Boss Buckley** (identified in the caption), likely a political boss or corrupt official. The image shows elegantly dressed men in a carriage near the Capitol building, contrasting sharply with a working-class vendor on the right selling produce. The satire appears to criticize **wealth inequality and political corruption**. While Buckley and associates enjoy privileged transportation and status symbols (top hats, formal dress), ordinary citizens labor as street vendors. The "fairly good season" caption suggests ironic commentary—good for the corrupt elite, presumably at the public's expense. The "Buckley Boodle & Co." sign visible on the storefront reinforces the "boodle" (corruption/bribery) theme. The Capitol dome emphasizes this occurs at the seat of government power.