The Wasp — 1893 — page 291: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page features a political cartoon satirizing what appears to be Chinese immigration policy during the late 19th century. A portly, caricatured figure (labeled "CLAUDE") stands before posted proclamations on a brick wall—one from "Grover's Cabinet" and another "To All Good Highbinders" addressing Chinese residents. The cartoon mocks contradictory American policy toward Chinese immigrants. The proclamations reference the Geary Act (Chinese exclusion legislation) while simultaneously appealing to Chinese "highbinders" (organized crime members) and laborers to remain, signed by various Chinese names. The satire suggests hypocrisy: the government simultaneously expelled Chinese people through restrictive laws while apparently tolerating organized Chinese criminal elements. The caricatured portrayal reflects the racist stereotyping typical of this era's anti-Chinese sentiment in American media.