The Wasp — 1891 — page 575: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts a circus scene labeled "National Circus" featuring a large elephant wearing a blanket labeled "REPUBLIC" alongside various animals and figures representing different political movements or ideologies. The smaller animals/figures stand on platforms labeled "PROHIBITION BABOON," "COMMUNISTIC CHIMPANZEE," and "WOMAN'S RIGHTS APE." The setup suggests these causes are being presented as trained circus attractions—implying they're spectacles or novelties rather than serious political movements. The cartoon satirizes how multiple reform movements of the era (prohibition, communism, women's suffrage) are treated as entertainment or sideshows rather than legitimate political forces. The "republic" elephant towers over these smaller concerns, suggesting they're subordinate to the main government apparatus. The artist is Saalburg; this appears from *The Wasp*, a San Francisco satirical publication.