The Wasp — 1894 — page 229: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts **Monopoly** (labeled on the crown) as a bloated pig standing atop two fallen figures representing **local interests** and **corporations**. The pig wields documents reading "BOAT" and a proclamation from the "Western Society of Meat Embalmers," declaring that "local interests must go to the wall" and "the small fry must die." The satire critiques **monopolistic business practices** of the era—likely referencing late 19th/early 20th-century corporate consolidation. The "hog on ice" (meaning an unstable, precarious position) suggests monopolies are overextended and dangerous. The dying figures beneath symbolize how monopolies crush smaller competitors and local businesses. The accompanying advertisements are unrelated commercial notices.