The Wasp — 1891 — page 214: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon from *The Wasp* (a San Francisco publication) depicts Golden Gate Park's menagerie collection. The central circle shows Ben Harrison (labeled) with a buffalo, suggesting he controls or embodies the wild animals. Surrounding the main scene are caricatured animal-human hybrids labeled with names: Whitelaw Reid, Blaine, Dana, Evarts, and Reed appear as grotesque creatures—anthropomorphic hybrids mixing human and animal features. The satire likely criticizes prominent Republican politicians of the era (Harrison was president 1889-1893) by depicting them as beasts or zoo animals—a common technique suggesting politicians were savage, uncivilized, or fit only for captivity. The caption references surprising the President with "additions to the present collection," maintaining the mockery.