The Wasp — 1892 — page 588: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a masthead and editorial/gossip page rather than a political cartoon. The illustration shows a caricatured figure labeled "THE WASP" - appearing to be a persona or mascot for the publication. The text consists of brief satirical items targeting local San Francisco figures: a man named Pierce advocating for Jerry Lynch's Senate election; Martin Kelly's ambitions to be Fire Commissioner; L.L. Baker's outdated customs; Frank Jacobs' blindness since age two; and various other prominent locals engaged in supposedly foolish or hypocritical behavior. The column employs biting wit to mock civic figures' vanities and contradictions. Without identification of these individuals, modern readers would struggle to understand the specific grievances or recognizing the targets' significance to 1892 San Francisco society.