The Wasp — 1892 — page 72: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This 1893 *Wasp* cartoon satirizes proposed Chicago World's Fair sculpture designs. The central allegorical "Liberty" figure holds the magazine's signature wasp logo, surrounded by symbolic figures representing labor concerns. The base contains text reading "ORGANIZED LABOR MAY IF NECESSARY BECOME ORGANIZED MURDER," reflecting anxieties about labor unrest and violence—likely referencing the violent Pullman Strike occurring that same year in Chicago. The figures at the monument's base appear to represent different labor classes or social groups. The satire suggests that grandiose public monuments celebrating "liberty" ring hollow when workers face dangerous conditions, poor wages, and the threat of violent suppression. The cartoon critiques both the World's Fair's idealistic messaging and society's failure to address genuine labor grievances.