The Wasp — 1881 — page 253: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

The main illustration depicts a vulture labeled "PRATTLE," evidently the magazine's satirical column. The accompanying text discusses newspapers' influence on government, criticizing how some publications spread "follies and views" rather than wisdom. The piece attacks rival publications and their editors for opposing the government's anti-Mormon policies, sarcastically praising these editors as "prophets to the mob." It defends persecution of Mormons as religiously justified and mocks sympathetic coverage of Mormon suffering. The text also references President Hayes' farewell and attacks a book titled "Thriftless Jamie, a Book for Intemperate Children," suggesting contemporary debates over social reform messaging. The overall tone reflects 1870s-80s anti-Mormon sentiment and media criticism from a publication supporting government religious persecution.