The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-12
THE MAKING OF Citizens
A Meeting in the Interest of the
Junior Republic Movement.
The President and Secretary Long
Administrators Depeyy the Prin-
cipnl Spcnker-PInn of the Ccn-
munity Governed by Boys Describ-
ed An Appeal for More Funds.

of the people of Washington. President
Mckinley, accompanied by Lis 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 a 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.
H. B. Mcfarland called the meeting to
order and presented John Joy Edison. who
presided. In taking the chair Mr.. Edso2
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 Philadel-
phia and is located on farm near An
stated that the school had been estab-
'ished 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-
lisEment of the National Junior Republic
Baltimore had contributed the larger part
Of the money and Washington the greater
nun Der 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. Mr..
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 Chaunc,y Il Depew was then
introduced as the orator of the evening.
He began by saying that he was always
suspicious OF philanthropy, for when q
charitable scheme was not a fraud 1t was
generally a plan for somebody to 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 pauperlze the recipient. He
referred to the statement that enough
money was contributed in London every
year to place the poor reople 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 superntendents 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. II a bad boy grows up in the
country it was remarked that il was the
result of heredity. where, through ativism
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 neighborhood influence is some
and the boy goes upon the street 20 meet
vice and to be sehooied in evil doing and
criminality.
1t was shown that the congested popula-
tions 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 permanence of free institu-
tons On the corner. Mr.. Depew re-
marked. was the saloon. Hanging about
1t was always a leader OF boys. He was
their idol, and in time this bad leader of
boys in the devltry of city ward becomes
.
affairs So that the saloon becomes the
cradle and nursery of vicious citizenship
The Junior Republic. Mr.. Depew said. ne
had studied and found good. 1t appeals
he thought to 1000 years of self-eove
ment in the Anglo-SaXon race. and begins
at the bottom to develop good and enight-
cned citizenship. In saying the Juprr Re
public appealed TO the hereditary instinct
of the American boy. he thought 1t wgs
getting uown to the root principle III the
boys salvation as an American citizen. Mr.
Depew described at length and in happy
phrase the workings Of the Henry George
Eepublic, in his own State, which he had
seen and studied. He believed that ii was
wholly good and remarked that the records
show that nc boy coming from the Repub-
lie mad ever appeared IN Police Court or
been under arrest. This, thought sir. De
pew. was evidence enough Of the wisdom
Oh IUt ESTABLISHMENT anu Nub SutGtsS Oh
its workings
The next speaker was the Attorney Gen
eral OF tn. National Junior Republic Mas
ter Make Trepaynier lad twelve years
old He described at some length the
process by which youthful yolaturs Of law
and good order are tried at the Republic
The police regulations were described and
several incidents related were quite mirth-
provoking. Master Make explained that
Ill
presented in court. Last Saturday he said
there had been some little disturbance in
the Republic. and several more cases than
usual were up for trial, and he remarked:
Il made very well that day out of my Of
fee"
Thomas c. Noyes, the next speaker.
spoke of the financial side of the school
and made a general appeal for coutribu-
lions It was stated that through the
benevOlence OF Baltimore and Washington
people the republic had been established
and was operating on a bies of twenty
citizens. Mr. Noyes stated that they want
ed to increase facilities so that they could
accommodate 100 citizens. educating and
training them for entrance into the Great
American Republic. This would require,
first a new building to cost about So coo
in which to properly house the school and
provide room for the courts. He hoped that
some one individually or several persons
jointly would provide the money to erect
that building. Mr.. Noyes explained that
estimates for current expenses for The
school called for $3.50 per annum. and
they wanted from Washington annual sub
scriptions amounting to $500 to be devoted
to this phase of the work. Finally he said
they wanted voluntary subscriptions in as
large amount and as many of them as the
- IL, Of E11
to respond.