The Wasp — 1888 — page 235: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **text-based editorial and satirical commentary**, not a visual cartoon. It contains several brief satirical pieces: 1. **Democratic Party parade mockery**: Critiques a planned San Francisco Democratic parade as theatrically oversized yet hollow—"slim in numbers" despite boasting "brilliant" bands and features. 2. **Coal monopoly satire**: Attacks coal price manipulation by monopolists, sarcastically praising Edison's sun-storage invention as superior to their profiteering. 3. **Senator Stanford's health**: Notes contradictions in rumors about his condition, suggesting sensationalism in reporting. 4. **John Wagner anecdote**: A humorous short story about a Barbary Coast saloon keeper who habitually robs drunk patrons, featuring working-class San Francisco characters. The magazine demonstrates *The Wasp*'s typical approach: sharp political criticism mixed with local social commentary and working-class humor.