The Wasp — 1890 — page 266: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical cartoon depicting labor conflict during San Francisco's 1890 labor unrest. On the left stands a large, menacing figure labeled "Striking Molder" wearing Native American-style dress and carrying weapons—a dehumanizing caricature typical of the era. On the right are working-class figures (a man, woman, and children) appearing fearful or distressed, positioned near an "Iron Foundry" building. The partial dialogue visible shows the Striking Molder claiming sympathy is "very encouraging," while an "Iroquois Chief" responds that his sympathies are "Democratic." The cartoon appears to mock labor strikers by associating them with savagery and danger to innocent families, suggesting strikers threatened public safety. This reflects anti-labor sentiment common in 1890s San Francisco media.