The Wasp — 1890 — page 265: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon depicts "Mikado Sam" (a caricatured figure labeled with that name, wearing Oriental costume) addressing Wyoming as a small child. The imagery references Gilbert and Sullivan's *The Mikado* operetta, using it satirically. The joke concerns Wyoming's recent statehood and senatorial representation. The scroll lists U.S. states, with Wyoming notably included. The caption suggests Wyoming, though newly empowered with two senators, should remain modest—"a small sister" who can "hold up your head with the Dakotas." The satire appears to mock either Wyoming's presumed ambitions or its modest status despite gaining equal senatorial power. The "Wasp" publication used theatrical and fantastical references to lampoon contemporary political issues, here targeting Western state politics and representation dynamics.