The Wasp — 1889 — page 78: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This 1889 *Wasp* cartoon depicts a prisoner behind bars labeled "Creighton" being visited by two men outside the cell. The caption reads: "A SHORT FAREWELL TO A PART OF HIS GREATNESS," with dialogue from a "Ward Politician" stating Creighton's term will soon end and they'll run him for Senator again in '92. The satire mocks Creighton (likely a San Francisco political figure) by suggesting his imprisonment is merely temporary and that corrupt ward politics will restore him to power. The cartoon criticizes the cynical political machine—implying that criminal conviction poses no obstacle to political rehabilitation. The "greatness" in the title is deeply sarcastic, suggesting his notoriety rather than genuine achievement.