The Wasp — 1890 — page 53: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon mocks San Francisco elections as chaotic despite claims of peace. The title is ironic: the scene shows absolute mayhem outside a Republican Committee Room and a "Wines & Liquor" establishment. A well-dressed gentleman in a top hat stands aloof on the right—likely a politician or official claiming electoral propriety. Meanwhile, the left side depicts street-level pandemonium: fighting, drunken figures, chaos, and disorder among working-class voters. The satire contrasts the respectable facade of official Republican politics with the actual rough, alcohol-fueled street violence that characterized San Francisco elections of this era. The cartoon suggests that despite pretenses of civility, electoral processes were genuinely violent and corrupt, particularly involving intoxicated participants and street brawls.