Judge, 1912-06-08 · page 7 of 24
Judge — June 8, 1912 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes cross-cultural business communication and arranged marriages. The main article presents a genuine letter from a Turkish merchant requesting that an American importing company investigate a prospective brother-in-law (Mr. Blank, a California raisin shipper) before the marriage proceeds. The humor lies in the letter's awkward English phrasing and the absurdity of conducting due diligence on a marriage partner through business connections—treating matrimony as a commercial transaction requiring background checks and telegrams. The cartoon (top) illustrates the scene: three men in a business setting discussing this unusual request. Secondary jokes on the page include "Long Service" (a man explains leaving his job because he was "pardoned by the gov'nor") and "Insulted" (wordplay about "dissolution of vital forces" as a euphemism for death).
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
EEP SEA SOUNDING Commercial Matrimony. N importing house in Michigan re- ceived from a business man in Tur- key the following letter, which explains itself: “Constantinople, 13th Mai, 1912. “T avail myself of the opportunity of our intimate commercial relation to ask you the favor from giving you trouble. “Indeed it is a shame for you put- ting in service, but as the matter does concern to the prosperity of my sis- ter, thus, it being very important I hope you will excuse me, in this oblig- ing favor. “The matter is that Mr. Blank, president of Blank & Co., packers and shippers, raisins in Fresna, Califor- nia, is now here, for marrying with my sister, but as we do not know him perfectly well, whether he is in such position, or his moral conducts and characters are as we suppose, we were to direct for information. Now, no doubt, we of course could not give him any answer about it until we take LONG SERVICE “You say you were in one place for ten years. Why did you leave ?'’ ““T was pardoned by the gov'nor, mum." information on him. As you are near to California or perhaps you might have there relation with some house or you know any intelligence office there through which you can get to know about him. He is here for short time and it is urgent to give him an answer 2s soon as possible. “Therefore you will greatly oblige me in the name of our relation, if possible to have the trouble to proceed for necessary inquiry, and if you get any information about him, please forward it to me by telegram which expenses I charge to pay you. “*T thus shall intimately reckon up- on you to engage him in this delicate and serious effect.’" Insulted. Visitor*Never say die!’” Boston boy—I commonly refer to the dissolution of the vital forces.’” comicbooks.com