The Wasp — 1881 — page 230: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon from *The Wasp* (March 19, 1881) depicts a portly man presenting a candidate to occupy the "Governor's Chair." The text box reads "Spirit of the Times / For Governor / M.D.B." The cartoon mocks what appears to be a political appointment or endorsement process. The caricatured figure on the left gestures grandly toward a seated man in the governor's chair, suggesting he's offering up or "finding" a gubernatorial candidate. The exaggerated physiques and theatrical posing emphasize the absurdity or questionable nature of the selection. Without clearer identification of "M.D.B." or additional context, the exact political figures remain unclear, but the satire suggests criticism of how political candidates were chosen or presented during this period of California politics.