The Wasp — 1890 — page 38: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This *The Wasp* cartoon depicts a caricatured figure with exaggerated Asian features (wearing glasses, goatee, formal attire) passionately gesturing while speaking at a podium. The figure appears to be delivering an "oration," as the title indicates. The satirical point likely targets anti-Chinese sentiment or Chinese immigration debates prevalent in late-19th/early-20th-century American politics. The caricature's exaggerated facial features and formal setting suggest mockery of a Chinese speaker or political figure addressing American audiences. *The Wasp* was known for its inflammatory political satire. Without additional context identifying the specific speaker or event, the cartoon appears designed to ridicule Chinese presence in American civic discourse, reflecting the period's widespread xenophobia.