The Wasp — 1879 — page 392: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon from *The Wasp* (January 10, 1880) satirizes what appears to be a water-management or infrastructure dispute involving someone named Banks and Merced (likely referring to the Merced River in California). The caricature depicts a weak or elderly man straining under a yoke carrying heavy buckets labeled "Merced" water and what appears to be a "Commission" box. The caption suggests Banks lacks the physical strength to manage this responsibility—a visual metaphor for political or administrative incompetence. The joke targets Banks's alleged inability to handle a significant public works project, likely criticizing either his appointment to a water commission or his management of regional water resources. The exaggerated physical weakness emphasizes The Wasp's mockery of his fitness for the role.