Judge — March 30, 1901 — page 6: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes romantic entanglement during the early 20th century. The dialogue presents a domestic scene where Reginald Shortcash asks Muriel Stokson, "Couldn't you learn to love me?" She replies, "I'm afraid not. Pa's just cornered wheat." The joke pivots on financial/commodities speculation: Muriel won't commit to romance because her father has cornered the wheat market—meaning he's monopolized wheat supplies to manipulate prices. The cartoon suggests that economic advantage (and the wealth it generates) supersedes romantic considerations in marriage calculations among the wealthy. It's satirizing both mercenary attitudes toward marriage and the era's rampant commodity speculation, implying that love takes a back seat to financial maneuvering and profit among the upper classes.