The Wasp — 1893 — page 340: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is **primarily advertisements and theater notices** from May 1893, with minimal satirical content visible in the image itself. The main editorial content addresses "**Removing the State Capital**"—a dispute between Sacramento and San Jose over which city should house California's State Capitol. The Wasp criticizes both sides for allowing "partisan feelings" to cloud judgment rather than basing the decision on objective merit. The piece sarcastically notes that Sacramento's "buoyant young lady" (personification of the city) confidently expects to win, but warns observers that the ancient Capitol building itself—having "taken wise precaution"—may simply relocate elsewhere to avoid the controversy entirely. The satire targets the petty, self-interested arguments of both competing cities rather than substantive governance concerns.