The Wasp — 1889 — page 179: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts what appears to be dock workers or longshoremen violently assaulting a well-dressed man (likely representing a tourist or businessman) at what looks like a ship or warehouse ("WASP" signage visible). The caption questions whether this brutal treatment is appropriate for receiving tourists and appeals to a grand jury to stop such conduct and "abolish the nuisance." The cartoon appears to criticize labor violence or dock worker aggression during labor disputes—a significant issue in late 19th/early 20th-century America. The contrast between the genteel victim and rough attackers suggests the cartoonist viewed such violence as uncivilized and damaging to commerce and tourism, taking a stance against aggressive labor tactics.