The Wasp — 1887 — page 189: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts a wealthy capitalist (top, with dollar sign on his body) leaping triumphantly above a crowd of workers/common people trapped in what appears to be a mine or pit. The title "The Boomed" suggests commentary on economic speculation or market manipulation. The cartoon critiques wealth inequality and labor exploitation during the Gilded Age. The figure's exultant pose contrasts sharply with the trapped masses below, suggesting how financial "booms" benefited wealthy speculators while ordinary workers remained exploited. The mountainous setting and mining imagery likely reference California's mining industry, relevant to *The Wasp*'s San Francisco origins. This represents typical Progressive Era criticism of unequal economic systems.