The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-12


| Mckinley. accompanied by his Private
| Secretary. Mr.. Cortelyou and by secre-
tary Long. occupied one of the boxes.
while members OF Congress. diplomats,
members OF the judiciary, and many
| prominent citizens of the District Of Co
lumbia were scattered through the au-
! dience.
Secretary Hay sent letter OF regret,
stating that he was detained at home on
account of a severe cold.
Senator Chauncey NJ. Depew was the
orator Of the evening and great interest
was awakened in the movement for the
education and reformation of boys at the
Junior Republic.
II. B. Mcfarland called the meeting to
I order and presented John Joy Edison. who
presided In taking the chair Mr.. Edison
explained that the National Junior Repub-
lie is an industrial and agricultural school
for boys. fashioned upon the models Of
the Henry George Republic in New York
and the Parker Republic near PhiIadel-
phia and is located on a farm near An
napolis Junction. Nd. Mr.. Edison also
stated that the school had been estab-
lished through the joint effort of the peO-
pie of Baltimore and Washington. He
then introduced Blair Lee. who spoke
briefly of the aims and purposes of the
school. Mr.. Lee said that in the estab
lishment of the National Junior Republic
Baltimore had contributed the larger part
of the money and Washington the greater
number OF boys. He then explained that one
Of the purposes Of the meeting was to give
the people of Washington chance to get
even on the matter OF contributions. Nj.
Lee dwelt upon that feature Of the Junior
Republic known as self-goyernment. He
showed how all restraint at the school,
all responsibility for good order. all rules
and regulations were vested in the boys
themselves. Through organization sim
liar to that of the municipality, State
and nation combined the boys Of the
Junior Republic govern themselves
through their own officials, chosen by pop
ular vote. and by laws which they them
selves enact in their legislative bodies,
which resemble the two houses Of the
Federal Congress. Turning from a de-
scription Of the Republic, Mr.. Lee spoke
OF the results which would naturally fol-
low in the training Of boys in the funda-
mental principles of craftsmanship.
Senator Chauncey NJ. Depew was then
introduced as the orator OF the evening
He began by saying that he was always
suspicious of philanthropy, for when a
charitable scheme was not a fraud 1t was
generally plan for somebody 70 secure
living at the expense Of somebody else
without honest toll. Mr. Depew said he
feared that the greater part of charitable
effort did more harm than good. because
il tended to pauperize the recipient He
referred to the statement that enough
money was contributed in London every
year TO place the poor people OF that city
in comfortable circumstances. and it could
be learned from reports that the major
part Of the money went for rent and the
payment of salaries to superintendent and
charitable helpers
Mr. Depew drew two contrasting pic
lures. One was the rural neighborhood.
where the boy, born Of honest parents, has
an environment in his favor and goes out
to meet virtue in all the homes around
his own. IL a bad boy grows up in the
it was remarked that il was the
result Of heredlty. where. through atiyism
the boy comes to practice the vices OF
a long forgotten ancestor. The other pic
ture was the home in the crowded city.
where the neghbOrhOod influence is some
and the boy goes upon the street 20 meet
II was shown that the congested popula-
tons OF our cities are answerable not only
FOR vicious men and women, but for that
which is most dangerous to our national
life and the permapence of free institu-
tons. On the corner. Mr. Depew re-
marked. was the saloon. Hanging about
1t was always leader Of boys. He was
their IDOL. and in time this bad leader of
boys in the deyiltry OF a city ward becomes
the political leader of men in municipal I.
affairs. So that the saloon becomes the J
cradle and nursery Of vicious citizenship. '
The Junior Republic. Mr.. Depew said. n
had studied and found good 1t appeals.
he thought TO LOCO years of self-govern- .
nent M the AnglO-SaXOn race. and begins
At the bottom TO develop good and enlight- .
med citizenship. In saving The Junior Re
public appealed 10 the hereditary instinct
If the American boy. he thought It was .
getting down to the root principle Of he .
10Y salvation as an American citizen. Nj
Jepew described at length and in happy
phrase the workings Of the Henry George .
Republic, in his own State which he had .
seen and studied. He believed that it WAS
wholly good. and remarked that the records
show that nc boy coming from the Repub-
ic had ever appeared in Police Court or
leen under arrest This thought IF De
new. was evidence enough Of the wisdom
" the establishment and the success OF
is workings.
The next speaker was the Attorney Gen
raj OF the National Junior Republic Mas
or Make Trepaynier d lad twelve year,
Id. He described at some length the
,rocesg by which youthful ,iolatur5 u law
nd good order are tried at the Republic
The police regulations were described and
cveral incidents related We're quite mirth-
provoking. Master Make explained that
le received - cents for each case that he
resented in court Last Saturday. h said
here had been some little disturbance m 4
he Republic. and several more cases than
sual were up for trial and he remarked
I made very well that day out of my Of
&c"
Thomas c. Noyos, the next speaker.
poke of the financial side of the school
nd made general appeal for coutribu-
ions It was stated that through the
enevolence OF Baltimore and Washington
eople the republic had been established
nd was operating on a beis of twenty
itizens. Mr.. Noyss stated that they want
d to increase facilities so that they could
Ccommodate 100 citizens. educating and
raining them for entrance into the Great
.meriCan Republic. This would require
rst, a new building to cost about S.. coo
n which to properly house the school and
rovide room for the courts. He hoped that
ONE one Individually or several persons
1nuy would provide the money to erect
hat building. Mr. Noyes explained that
stimates for current expenses for The !
chool called for $3.50 per annum. and |
hey wanted from Washington annual sub
criptions amounting to s., 500 to be devoted ,
} this phase OF the work. Finally. he said
hey wanted voluntary subscriptions in as
,rge amount and as many Of them as the
eople OF the Capital City were DISPOSED