The Wasp — 1889 — page 153: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This 19th-century satirical cartoon critiques American hostility toward Chinese immigration. The caption reads: "It is impossible to open a hole for 'Chinese in Transit' wit[hout consequences]" (text appears cut off). The cartoon depicts bearded white men in suits and hats examining or discussing Chinese figures shown as small caricatured heads on the ground. The mountainous landscape setting suggests a railroad or mining context—industries where Chinese laborers worked during this era. The satire appears to mock American political leaders debating Chinese immigration policy, portraying them as dismissively examining Chinese people like objects rather than as human beings deserving dignity. This reflects the era's widespread anti-Chinese sentiment and restrictive immigration policies that culminated in legislation like the Chinese Exclusion Act (1882).