The Wasp — September 6, 1879 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Human Trash and their Deserts" - The Wasp, Page 107 The main cartoon depicts a well-dressed man dismissing a ragged, desperate figure—illustrating the article's discussion of visiting opium dens and "walkist hells" in San Francisco. The satire mocks the hypocrisy of respectable society touring the city's underworld attractions while ignoring the human misery they encounter. The accompanying text criticizes several individuals for moral failings: William Walthers (opium dens), an unnamed "walkist hell" visitor, and notably Charles Edwards, described as "notorious Edwards," who apparently faced legal consequences. The satire targets selective moralism—society's willingness to view poverty and vice as entertainment while condemning those trapped within such circumstances as undeserving of sympathy or justice.