The Wasp — 1879 — page 416: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon depicts politicians as puppet marionettes controlled by hidden forces. The Capitol building with a dollar sign on its dome appears in the background, suggesting money controls government. The figures appear to be politicians being manipulated by unseen puppet-masters (shown as hands at left). A drum labeled "HURRAH FOR ABE AND DON'T MIND OUR PRESENT FRAUD" suggests manufactured political support masking corruption. The satire criticizes how politicians are "marionettes"—mere puppets dancing to financial interests' tune rather than serving genuine public interest. The phrase about "Abe" likely references Abraham Lincoln, and "fraud" indicates The Wasp was accusing those in power of dishonest dealings beneath patriotic rhetoric. This reflects 19th-century American skepticism toward institutional corruption and elite control of politics.