The Wasp — 1880 — page 140: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **text-based editorial content** with minimal illustrations. The main article, "IDEAS OF THE INSECT," criticizes President Hayes (referenced as having recently retired) and his successor's handling of various national issues—particularly tariffs, Chinese immigration, and railroad monopolies. The right column contains **"WASP'S Improved Webster,"** a satirical dictionary defining terms like "GRANT," "GRATIFICATION," and "HALCYON." These mock-definitions target prominent Republican figures (particularly Ulysses S. Grant) and political concepts. **Small woodcut illustrations** accompany definitions—showing figures in caricatured poses typical of Victorian satire. The overall intent is **partisan ridicule** of Republican leadership and economic policies during the post-Reconstruction era.