The Wasp — 1890 — page 120: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

The central cartoon depicts two figures at what appears to be an Oakland ferry: a well-dressed female "Collector" and a shabby male "Tramp." The collector offers the tramp flowers, hoping he'll accept them as a "commutation ticket" (transit pass) in exchange for punching. This is satirical commentary on economic inequality and class relations during the Gilded Age—the wealthy offering nominal gestures (flowers) to the poor in lieu of fair compensation or wages. The accompanying text includes humorous anecdotes about Californians' regional pride and a joke about life insurance. The overall tone mocks both pretentious charitable gestures and social pretension among different classes of citizens.