The Wasp — 1893 — page 505: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains editorial commentary and a political cartoon criticizing anti-immigration sentiment. The main illustration depicts a figure (likely representing nativist opposition) forcefully ejecting or preventing entry—the caption reads "The Foreigners Must Not Come." The surrounding text discusses what the magazine frames as hypocritical anti-immigration rhetoric. It argues that immigrants, particularly Irish and European workers, were essential to America's development and labor force, yet faced hostility from native-born citizens. The articles critique politicians and editors (naming Editor Barry of the *Star*) for scapegoating immigrants while benefiting from their contributions to economic growth. The satire targets the contradiction between America's need for immigrant labor and growing nativist political movements seeking to restrict immigration.