The Wasp — 1894 — page 177: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This caricature depicts an unnamed San Francisco politician portrayed as an inflated, self-aggrandizing figure literally standing atop the city. The exaggerated proportions and the banner reading "ONE AND ONLY GREAT D[?]" mock his vanity and senatorial ambitions. The accompanying satirical verse ridiculed his presumption—comparing him to a "tower looming 'gainst the sky" while suggesting he's merely one of many politicians ("particular men / Who keep on top"). The Wasp was known for targeting San Francisco's business and political figures. Without identifying the specific candidate, the cartoon attacks the bloated ego of aspirational politicians who treat electoral office as a personal monument rather than public service.