Judge — October 14, 1905 — page 11: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon satirizes the hotel and lodging business during a period of apparent prosperity. The caricatured figure—labeled "THE COOK"—is depicted as a portly, exaggerated character wearing a checkered apron, holding a large pot or pan. He's shown alongside a sign advertising "THESE FINE PRIVATE HOUSES FOR SALE OR TO LET." The satire appears to mock how the booming hotel/hospitality business has made proprietors so wealthy and successful that they're converting private residences into commercial lodging ventures. The grotesque rendering of the cook figure suggests commentary on either the greed driving this expansion or the quality of such establishments. The caption "HOTEL BUSINESS SO PROSPEROUS" completes the ironic critique of this economic trend.