The Wasp — 1887 — page 46: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This **The Wasp** cartoon from July 16, 1887 satirizes government corruption and misplaced priorities. The main scene depicts well-dressed officials at an elaborate dinner party with expensive bottles (marked "$9000"), while outside, uniformed workers or soldiers are turned away empty-handed at a doorway. The caption "Funds for Presents But None for Pay" suggests that government money goes toward bribes, gifts, or lavish entertainment for the elite, while workers' wages or salaries go unpaid. The contrast between the indulgent interior feast and the excluded, desperate figures outside criticizes how public funds are misappropriated—benefiting the corrupt few rather than compensating laborers fairly.