The Wasp — 1890 — page 322: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **political editorial content**, not a cartoon. The dominant image is a portrait photograph of **Senator W. W. Bowers**, a California Republican politician. The text analyzes the 1886 California political landscape, specifically attacking Democratic boss Frank Buckley's control of San Francisco politics. The editors support Bowers and other Republican candidates as alternatives to Buckley's alleged corruption. Key themes include: - Buckley as a "boss" who has corrupted city politics for eight years - The upcoming election as crucial for breaking his "machine" - Praise for Bowers as an honest alternative candidate - A final jab at the Democratic newspaper operations as dishonest "thimble-rigging" The satire targets Democratic machine politics and urban corruption, promoting Republican reform as the antidote.