The Wasp — 1889 — page 327: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon from *The Wasp* critiques the Secretary of War's distant military policy. The central caricatured figure, labeled as being sent "to the front," appears to be a military or government official fleeing in panic—suggested by his disheveled appearance and frantic pose. The two smaller cherub-like figures above likely represent satirical commentary on the absurdity of the proposed solution. The caption's sarcasm is clear: sending the Secretary of War himself to the frontier, rather than actual troops or effective policy, is presented as the ridiculous "solution" to Indian massacres. The cartoon mocks government ineffectiveness and detachment from frontier violence, suggesting that those making decisions about warfare should personally experience its consequences. This reflects late-19th-century tensions over Indian wars and government accountability.