The Wasp — 1891 — page 41: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **text-based editorial content**, not a cartoon. It discusses California's National Guard organization and its constitutional basis. The piece defends the National Guard against critics who opposed state militia organizations. Key figures mentioned include **General Mansfield** (who supported the Guard), **Gen. W.H. Barnes** (an advocate), and various California politicians including **Senator Charles N. Felton** and **Governor George C. Perkins**. The satire targets opponents who questioned whether state militia forces conflicted with federal authority. The author argues the Guard is constitutional, cost-effective, and necessary for state defense—countering accusations that it drained public coffers or represented dangerous militarism. This reflects late-1870s debates about state versus federal military power in California.