The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-07-23
SMALLEST REPUBLIC IN THE
WORLD


From the New York republic alone
500 or more boys and girls have gone
out into the world. OF these eight
have failed and two or three have not
been traced. The rest have made
good in college, In university, in bus
mess, or in agriculture. And, re-
member, these republics are composed
of the "incorrigibles. the driftwood
Of the child world. A visitor once
asked a little girl In junior repub-
lie: What do you little citizens pos
sess that we elder persons do not?''
and the child answered: Self con-
troll. There is big idea behind that
answer.
These republics arouse in their
young citizens certain characteristics
that were never accredited to them
before. But who had ever told them
that boy should know the laws OF
his state? Who ever told them that
they could interpret these laws or
model like laws for their own gov
eminent? Who had ever told them
that they could be self-respecting and
self supporting? Who had ever given
them positions OF trust, or had ever
appealed to the spirit Of nobility that
| Is dormant In every human being?
The republics we're the first to do It,
and whenever they have placed conf
dence In these fellows boys from ~
to 81, as a rulethey have rarely
found that confidence abused.
These citizens have had the
same problems to meet In their little
republic that the grown-ups have had
to meet in the big one outside. They
have wrestled with auctuating cur
rency,, they have mastered the creed
Of taxation, they have levied income
and poll taxes and they have enacted
protective tariff measures. They have
wrestled, too, with the labor ques-
ton. Once, In the George Junior Re-
public of New York, the young citi-
zens posted themselves on the New
Zealand eight-hour system. It seem
ed particularly fine, SO the legisla-
ture met and enacted a similar law
The day ii went into effect the repub-
lie arose at $50, the girls cooked
breakfast and the boys did their var
ious tasks until dinner After dim
.ner they went to work again. but
knocked off early in the afternoon.
AT supper time they assembled to find
the dining room and kitchen empty,
with never a crumb In sight. The
eight-hour law. had applied also to
the girls and their domestic helpers.
A supporters night caused an extra
session of the legislature to be called
early next day, and the obnoxious law
was repealed.
While speaking of law. it is proper
to dwell few minutes upon the UNI
iversal law of kindness which reigns
Encouragement and sympathy are the
rule. The managers and superinten-
dents are ever on the alert to support
the weak and guide the strong. This
care does not cease, even when citi-
zen has graduated from the republic
and becomes an active denizen of the
greater republic, but their careers are
watched, their interest fostered, and
their confidence invited.
The distinctive merit of the junior
is that it takes boy nature as
it finds 1.-THE nature which has been
produced by generations of evil tend
encies- land instead of blaming and
Furnishing the boy for inheriting the
sins of his ancestors, it undertakes
to develop the good that is in him
until IL chokes out the evil, Just as
flowers we'll nourished will choke
out the most obnoxious weed. 1t is
not, therefore, penal institution,
but is most successful demonstra-
ton of what we all recognize in
theory, that in every person there are
the roots of both good and evil, and
what the full grown man shall be
depends upon which class of tenden-
cies in the boys heart find most con-
genial environment, for indeed "the
boy is father to the man.
1t is we'll to add that the money
for the support Of the republic is
raised by contribution-vol voluntary in
a sense-but the result Of a combined
effort. A large portion is gathered by
four woman's leagues two senior
and two junior leagues of the cities
of Washington and Baltimore.
AT point in the Canadian Rockies
a tiny stream, melted from the eter-
nal glaciers, comes bubbling and
rushing down the mountain. 1t is
so small that child can step across
it, but halfway down the slope it.
strikes a rock twice the size Of a