The Wasp — 1892 — page 338: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is primarily a **title page and editorial content** for *The Wasp*, an Oakland-based satirical newspaper. The left side shows a masthead with what appears to be a **wasp character in period dress**, though the specific figures are unclear in reproduction. The main editorial by Thomas E. Flynn discusses **railroad schemes and Grand Jury corruption** in California. Flynn criticizes competing railroad interests and attacks the "inquisitors" (Grand Jury members) for alleged moral failings and susceptibility to bribery. The piece sarcastically contrasts petty criminal charges against someone named Bruner with the larger corruption of powerful figures involved in transcontinental railroad projects. The satire targets **institutional hypocrisy**—punishing small offenders while powerful interests escape accountability.