The Wasp — 1890 — page 207: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon satirizes labor disputes in California, likely from the late 19th or early 20th century. A well-dressed woman (labeled "Professional Agitator") cracks a whip over a starving family in a slum, while a bearded man labeled "Union Laws" stands nearby. The caption's incomplete text suggests the cartoon criticizes labor organizers for exploiting workers' desperation. The imagery suggests the cartoonist's view that union agitators and their associated laws harm ordinary Californians—particularly impoverished families—rather than help them. The "house to let" sign indicates economic hardship. The satire appears to oppose labor activism as destructive and manipulative, though specific historical context remains unclear without publication date.