Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1894-03-03
TIE CUCKOO IN POLITICS.
4 Bird That Aptiy Typines Protectionist
PeculfaritieA

As the cuckoo has probably come into
politics to stay, It is well, perhaps, that
the real characteristics VI the bird
should be well understood. When tine
matter is thoroughly Investigated no
one can fail to be struck with the re-
semblance between the republican
party and the cuckoo party.
The term cuckoo is applied to several
different genera of birds There Is the
cuculus canorus, or English cuckoo,
which has the habit of depositing It's
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 ont of the nest and usurp the
total control of it. The notes of this
species are said TO be loud and joyful,
as is the habitiof all jingoes when they
have succeeded in any game OF spolia-
tiop. In the autumn they are usually
fat, thus reminding us Of the sons Of
the missionaries in Hawaii, after they
had obtained possession of the wealth
of the memb bers Of their fathers flocks.
In the United States we have the yell
low-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 fall
to note that both these kinds of cuckoos
exhibit characteristic qualities Of the
republican party. AS jingo party it
is best represented by the English
cuckoo, because it has adapted and is
seeking to apply the English policy OF
spoliation toward feeble nations When
the English cuckoo invades the nest of
another bird it lays very small egg,
too small to excite apprehension, but
when the egg is hatched, the young
cuckoo, after receiving nourishlnent for
time from the originsl proprietor,
ends by taking full 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 altrnism." Other
eggs OF similar kind were deposited
from time to time, and from them were
Matched Dole, Thnrston and oil that
brood who call themselves "sons of
missionaries" but who are really
cuckoos and have got full possession of
the Hawaiian 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
season.
The Coccyzus Americanus is splen-
did representative of the American pro-
tectionist, who advocates what he calls
the American system" He builds his
own nest, and builds it snug and tight,
but he provisions 1t by robbing 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 as large part Of
their earnings as possible, and the
more he gets the more he wants. At
this very moment the owners of most
the other nests are observing that
there is remarkable scarcity prevail.
ing In their homes, and though they all
know that the cuckoo has paid them @
visit, there are still some who profes.
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 in.
vading other nests are about to be Gu,
off.
The robber barons have at last hit
upon suitable emblem. Let them
stop putting eagles on their tickets and
substitute cuckoos The eagle is q
robber, too, but he robs boldly and
without pretending TO be anything
else than what he is. The cuckoo is a
robber by stealth and under false pre-
lenses. The Cuculus canorus is ingo
after the British pattern, with tenor
voice TO praise his own lawless thrift
the Coccyzus Ar1ericanus is an advocate
of the American system of spolia
ton practiced upon his neighbors ir
the name of patriotism. Louisville