The Wasp — July 3, 1880 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# The Illustrated Wasp, July 5, 1880 This page contains no political cartoon. Instead, it features editorial commentary and a humorous poem titled "Schneider's Stock Speculation." The editorial argues that Americans shouldn't admire European civilization, claiming the U.S. is superior. It references Uncle Sam's rejection of European-style capitalist securities and labor conditions. The poem satirizes a grocer named Schneider who gets ruined through stock speculation. He borrows money, invests in "Moonshine" stock at inflated prices, loses everything when his daughter elopes, and ends up running a penny stand. The moral: speculation is financially devastating. The verse mocks both Schneider's poor judgment and the broader get-rich-quick mentality of the era.