The Wasp — 1879 — page 781: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page from *The Wasp* contains two satirical images of Major General Winfield Scott Hancock, a Democratic presidential candidate. The top portrait shows Hancock in formal dress—a straightforward presentation. The bottom cartoon employs the phrase "Between Two Stools" (a common idiom meaning unable to commit to a position). It depicts Hancock as an exaggerated caricature sitting precariously between two large stools labeled "PROTECTION" and "FREE TRADE"—apparently representing competing economic policies of the era. The imagery suggests Hancock was politically indecisive or attempting to straddle contradictory positions on tariff policy, a major issue dividing Democrats and Republicans in the late 19th century. The satirist mocks his apparent inability to take a clear stance on this crucial economic question.