The Wasp — November 22, 1879 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Human Trash and their Deserts" — Political Satire This page features a satirical essay titled "Human Trash and their Deserts," attributed to "Washington." The piece argues for **arbitrary power and absolute authority**, claiming it's justified when exercised with moral excellence and reason. The cartoon illustration (upper left) depicts a woman in an armchair—likely representing a boarding-house keeper or landlady, a common satirical target in The Wasp. The accompanying letter from "Nassy" complains about boarding-house life and fashion-conscious residents. The satire appears to critique both **excessive authoritarianism** and the petty tyrannies of boardinghouse culture. The juxtaposition suggests mockery of those who claim moral superiority while exercising minor domestic power over vulnerable residents—a recurring theme in Gilded Age American satire about class and domestic servitude.