The Wasp — 1894 — page 60: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon satirizes governmental mismanagement during a crisis (the "cyclone" depicted as a destructive storm). The figure on the left appears to be Uncle Sam or a government representative, helplessly observing the disaster below. The scene shows buried figures labeled with various bills and financial instruments: "Sheriff Bill," "Congressional Indictment," "Wickedness," "Scheme," and "Refunding Bill." These represent unpopular legislation or financial policies being destroyed or exposed by the cyclone. The caption—"'Twas all I could do to hold on to this rail, but I guess the gophers an' dug-outs are comin' out again"—suggests the disaster temporarily buried corrupt political schemes, but they will inevitably resurface. The satire criticizes political corruption and financial mismanagement as cyclically destructive forces in American governance.