The Wasp — 1879 — page 367: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts financial manipulation and corruption. A well-dressed man (left) labeled "BANK" controls a large bag of money while various animal figures—appearing to represent different financial or political interests—swing from a rope above, reaching for the funds. The animals seem to represent greedy speculators or corrupt officials competing for access to banking resources. The cartoon critiques how banks and financial institutions were controlled by powerful elites who distributed money to favored political or business associates, while ordinary citizens ("MILITIA," visible on lower figures) were excluded. This reflects late 19th-century American anxieties about monopolistic banking practices, wealth concentration, and the perception that financial institutions served only the privileged classes rather than the public good.