The Wasp — 1891 — page 86: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon depicts Secretary of State (Tracy, based on the caption) holding a model ship labeled "Italia" while standing on a coastline. A steamship labeled "CHARLESTON" appears in the water below. The caption reads: "Secretary Tracy—Well, they've brought her back to me. Now what the devil shall I do with her?" This references the 1891 lynching of Italian immigrants in New Orleans and the subsequent diplomatic crisis. The Italian ship *Italiana* was involved in the incident. The cartoon satirizes the government's difficulty resolving tensions between the U.S. and Italy over the violence against Italian nationals—suggesting authorities are stuck with an awkward international problem they don't know how to handle.