The Wasp — 1894 — page 337: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page presents candidate endorsements for San Francisco elections. The allegorical illustration on the left shows Lady Justice or Columbia holding a ballot, representing civic duty. The text profiles Republican and Democratic candidates: Dr. W.J. Hawkins (Coroner), George H. Bahrs (Superior Judge), J.C. Hobbs (Board of Supervisors), M.C. Haley (County Clerk), and Thomas Shannon (Congress). The magazine evaluates each candidate's qualifications and fitness for office. For example, Haley is praised for honest administration despite Democratic machine opposition, while Hobbs receives credit for progressive business practices and community investment. The satire implicitly mocks machine politics by highlighting candidates who resist party manipulation—suggesting that independent merit matters more than party loyalty in electoral fitness.