The Wasp — 1893 — page 245: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes financial hardship during an economic downturn. Two well-dressed men in top hats discuss money scarcity. One (Mr. Bluff) claims times are harder than ever, while the other (Mr. Guff) responds that depleting the American gold reserve is the problem—blaming English financial policy for draining U.S. resources. The dialogue mocks both men's denial: despite claiming poverty, they're clearly wealthy (formal attire, theater-going). The satire targets how the rich blamed external forces (England) rather than acknowledging systemic economic problems or their own privilege. The box-office pricing visible on the right underscores the irony—theater tickets remain expensive despite claims of national financial crisis, suggesting selective hardship among the wealthy.