Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-03-01
The Cuckoo in Politics.

! The Cuckoo in Politics. n
j AS the cuckoo has probably come
into politics to stay. it is well. perhaps.
that the real characteristics OF the bird
should be we'll understood. When the
matter is thoroughly Investigated no
one can fail to be struck with the re-
semblance between ethe Republican
party aad the cuckoo party.
The term cuckoo is applied to sever
al differeat genera of birds. TIL ore is
the cuculus canorus. or English cuckoo,
which has the habit OF depositing its
eggs in the nests of other birds. AS
soon as the young cuckoos have been
hatched, and have developed little
strength. they proceed to kick the 9TH
er birds out of the nest and usurp the
total control of it. Tho notes of this
species are said to be loud and joyful
as is the habit OF all jingoes when they
have succeeded in any game OF spolia-
ton. In the autumn they are usually
fat, thus reminding us Of the sons
the missionaries in Hawaii, after they
had obtained possession of the wealth
of their fathers focks. In the United
States we have the yellow-billed
cuckoo, scientifically known as the
Coccyzus Americanus, which builds its
own nest, but devotes much of its time
and attention to sucking the eggs Of
other birds.
The impartial observer will not fail
| to note that both these kinds of
cuckoos exhibit characteristic qualities
of the Republican party. As jingo
party it is best represented by the En-
glish cuckoo, because it has adapted
and is seeking to apply the English
policy OF spoliation toward feeble ma
tions. When the English cuckoo In
very small egg, too small to excite
apprehension, but when the egg is
Matched, the young cuckoo, after re-
ceiving nurishment for time from the
original proprietor, enks by taking 'ull
possession of the nest.
Such was the conduct of the Yankee
cuckoo in Hawaii. 1t obtained admis-
sion into that snug little nest and laid
| an egg that bore the counterfeit trade
mark: missionary altruism."s Other
eggs OF similar kind were deposited
from time time, and from them were
hatched Dole, Thurston and all that
brood who call themselves icons Of
missionaries" but who are really
cuckoos and have got full possession OF
the Hawaiin nest, and are likely to
keep it until they quarrel among them
selves. Having had their harvest, they
are now fat and sleek as the British
cuckoo is wont to be after the harvest.
The Coccyzus Americanus is splen-
did representative of the American
protectionist, who advocates what hes
calls the american system He
builds his own nest, aud builds 1t snug
and tight, but he provisions it by rob-
bing the nests Of other birds. The
protectionist also builds nest, and
then he goes into the homes OF other
people for the purpose of getting rs
large part OF their earnings as posi-
BILE, and the more he gets the more he
wants. At this very moment the
owners of most the other nests are OBJ
serving that there is remarkable
scarcity prevailing in their homes, and
though they all know that the cuckoo
has paid them a visit, there are still
some who profess to doubt what it is
that is making times hard. As for the
cuckoo himself, he is causing it to be
given out that he has been in the habit
of sharing his stealings with some of
the other birds, and that the distress is
caused by the apprehension that his
facilities for invading other nests are
about to be cut off.
The robber barons have at last hit
upon suitable emblem. Let them
stop putting eagles on their tickets and
substitute Acuckoos. The eagle is q
robber, too, but he robs boldly and
without pretending to be anything else
than what he is. The cuckoo is rob-
ber by stealth and under false preten-
ses. The Cuculus canorous is jingo
after the British pattern. with tenor
voice to praise his own lawless thrift;
the Coccyzus Amerieanus is on advo-
cate of the ..Ameri:an system" Of
spoliation practiced upon his neighbors
in the name OF patriotism Louisville
C0urier-Jour7adl.
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