The Wasp — 1880 — page 217: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains satirical editorial content rather than a single cartoon. The main article, "The Beauties of Manhood Suffrage," critiques the moral failings revealed during elections. The author argues that watching men vote exposes shameful behavior: voters appear as a "low class" of "professional politicians" engaging in fraud and corruption. The piece sarcastically praises "manhood suffrage" while lamenting how elections degenerate into displays of dishonesty and partisan warfare. A secondary section, "A Dream of the Future," imagines politicians ceasing mutual contempt and cooperating virtuously—presented as an impossible fantasy rather than realistic prospect. The text suggests The Wasp used elections to expose broader critiques of democratic participation and political character in late-19th-century America.