The Wasp — 1891 — page 385: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon depicts a confrontation between what appears to be a Western man and an Asian figure, likely a Chinese immigrant. The title "ALL THE SAMEY" is a racist pun playing on stereotypical Asian speech patterns. The accompanying article, "The Weird Experience of a Customs Inspector" by H.T. Salooms, describes a U.S. Customs official's 1880 encounter with Chinese smuggling at San Francisco's docks. The narrative reflects period xenophobia—depicting Chinese immigrants as deceptive and requiring constant surveillance. The cartoon and article exemplify *The Wasp*'s anti-Chinese immigration stance, common in 1880s Pacific Coast publications. Both mock Chinese people while treating smuggling and discrimination as entertainment for white readers.