The Wasp — 1893 — page 480: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon depicts a man of considerable wealth clutching money bags while positioned between towering bank buildings labeled for New York and Chicago. The caption describes him as performing a "time-honored feat of skipping when his services are most needed." The satire targets financial elites who disappeared or fled during crises—likely referring to the Civil War era when wealthy men avoided military service or abandoned financial responsibilities during national turmoil. The figure's formal dress and top hat mark him as an affluent businessman, while the architectural backdrop emphasizes the scale of financial institutions he's abandoning. The cartoon critiques economic hypocrisy: those with resources evade public duty while ordinary citizens bear the burden.