Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-08-18
Mr.. COOKIES Letter.

writer.
Mr.. Sidney Gustavus Cooke has
written a letter. II is a very long
letter. 1t occupies two full columns
Of the ordinary newspaper. 1t has a
familiar sound. IL reads like Cleve-
land letter. Mr.. Cooke must have
recently read the ex.ProsideDt's new
collection Uf Letters" or Mr.. Cooke
and Mr.. Cleveland must have drawn
their inspiration from the same ency-
clopediacal shrine.
From Mfr. Cookies letter he appears
to bea Democrat OF the zone idea"
species. "Tarin reform" is the only
subject which Mr.. Cooke regards as Of
sufficient importance to demand the
attention ola would.be Congressman.
The Force BILL" the free silver"
issue, the Sub treasury scheme" the
transportation" problem and the
"Billion Dollar Congress" are matters
Of too small moment to be considered
by Mr., Cooke.
1t may not be generally known to
the public at large that up to the year
1890 Mr.. Cooke after tbs straitest
sect Of the republicans had lived az a
protectionist. During almost the
entire portion of his days he has been
a great tariff sinner. Ills conversion to
Mr.. Cleveland's "tarifT reform" idea
dates back only to 1880. Tho place Of
the conversion was the court room In
Abilene surroundings, the Re
publican County convention, 10 which
Mr.. Cooke was duly accredited dele.
gate. Up to that date Mr.. Cooke had
continued to breathe out threateHings
and slaughter against the disciples
Of Mr.. Cleveland. But In the midst Of
the proceedings Of that Republican
convention. just at the moment when
tho convention unanimously decided
against pet idea Of Mr.. Cooke, sud.
denly there shown round about him a
light from the British Isles and he
walked toward the door, aud heard
voice from across the waters saying,
"Sldney, Sidney, why persecutest thou
mep" Aud he SAID, "Who art thou,
Lord5" and Johnny Bull repiied,"I am
free trade England. 1t Is hard for me
TO kick against the proiestion OF Amer
lean industries" And Sidney, trem-
bling aud astonished, said: 80.
Johnny, what wilt thou have me dor"
And Mr.. Bull said unto him, "Arise
50 over into the Democratic party and
shall be told thee what thou shalt
do" Aud n Democratic guide took
him by the hand and led him away
from the tariff robbers" back to the
city and they began TO feed him on
tariff REFORM This recent and soma.
what miraculous conversion Of Mr.
Cooke will doubtless furnish a reason.
able excuse for the crudeness OF his
tariff reform ideas as appears from his
etter.
Unlike most Democrats, Mr.. Cool 0
Frankly admits that the "system of
taxation" AS adopted by the Republ-
can party and which has brought such
prosperity to this country is so "ingen-
iOus" that its burden is mot felt or
understood" by him. lie makes the
astounding argument that because our
system of taxation" is Sd delicately
adjusted that 1t is mot felt" by the
ordinary citizen, that therefore "the
time has arrived when safety demands
reform" Mr., Cookies idea il that
any system OF taxation which IL not
sufficiently burdensome upon the
"Ordiuary citizen" to "be felt" is
poor system of taxation. lie would
raise the billion and a quarter dollars
which this Democratic Congress has
decided shall be needed by a system
Of taxation" that "can be felt"
Under oul present system, as Mr..
Cook suggests, this great burden of
raising the Government revenue is
mot felt" by the "ordinary citizen"
for the simple reason that the "ordi.
nary citizen" does not pay 1t, either
directly or indirectly. 1t is levied
upon such articles as our own people
can make and sell, and foreigners who
wish to come iuto our markets aud
compete with our own producers must
pay for the privilege. They must
pay license, just as We make peddlers
pay license when they come into our
towns and offer their goods for sale
upon our streets, and in this manner
We now raise the Government revenue.
But Mr.. Cooke in his eagerness to
have a system Of tayatlon that "can be
felt" would have our own citizens pay
all the billion and quarter dollars
which this Democratic Congress has
demanded, aud he would not impose
any part OF II upon the foreign pedder
who wants TO sell his wares in our
markets. That is the way Govern
ment revenue is collected in free trade
England, where they levy tariff for
revenue only" Such articles of Deces.
sity rs tea, coffee and sugar are taxed
In this country these are household ne
cessities and the Government knows the
people must have them, and will hsve
them, irrespective of cost. II matters