The Wasp — 1879 — page 220: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This November 1879 *Wasp* cartoon depicts three goats labeled "Mere Brunt" (push hard/rudely), "Mean Brunt" (do real/can bring), and "Moral Brunt" (bow to imposition). They're butting against a wooden sign reading "2,000" while standing on ground marked with what appears to be financial or political notation. The satire likely critiques a failed legislative or political effort in California—possibly related to taxation or regulation—where three different approaches or arguments ("mere," "mean," and "moral") have been defeated. The goats' horns-first assault suggests aggressive tactics that proved ineffective. The cartoonist suggests that multiple strategies to achieve a goal all failed despite determined effort. Without additional historical context, the specific 2,000 reference and the particular issue remain unclear.