Judge, 1900-07-14 · page 9 of 20
Judge — July 14, 1900 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical cartoon depicts a wealthy couple (Harold and Ethel) with their small dog, mocking upper-class conspicuous consumption. The joke centers on social pretense: when asked how she'd spend a million dollars annually, Ethel reveals she'd use it to *appear* to have two million—essentially spending money solely on ostentatious display rather than genuine wealth accumulation or useful purposes. The cartoon satirizes the Gilded Age obsession with visible luxury and status symbols. The couple's formal attire, the small decorative dog, and their affected poses all reinforce the critique: wealthy individuals prioritize appearances and social climbing over substance. This reflects broader Progressive-era concerns about excessive materialism and the nouveau riche's emphasis on flaunting wealth rather than using it productively.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
WANTED IT TO LOOK BIGGER. HaxoL>—"* What would you do if you hs had a million a year?” ErHEL—"* Spend it, of course.” Harotp—‘ But how?” ErHei— Trying to make it look like two million a year, of course.” comicbooks.com