peace, cigarette smoking, disorderly behavior, and going out of bounds without a pass. It is interesting to watch the face of the youthful judge as he may be disposed to exercise his paternal discretion over two small girls up for calling one another names, or endeavoring to determine the fine that may be both a punishment and a deterrent. There is no hesitation in his decisions. "Case dismissed," "Dollar fine; next offense, doubled," and perhaps accompanied by advice or warning. One of the most interesting features of Mr. George's little Republic lies in its encounters with the same influences, and struggles with the same difficulties, that disturb the greater nations. One of these was instructively illustrated in the police court. Two citizens were arrested for disorderly behavior at Sherry's. The first of these was Dover, whose wealth and importance in the community have been set forth. Dover, coming in late to dinner, had pushed one of the small boys out of his seat and eaten his dinner. The small boy had resisted; there was a disturbance, and Dover was arrested. The second was a little boy, also too late, who had helped himself to the coffee reserved for the waitresses, with a corresponding outcry. The case against Dover was especially flagrant, for he was larger and older than the boy he had deprived of his dinner. What gave peculiar significance to these cases was that the principal witness against the offenders was one of the volunteer assistants of Mr. George, delegated to Sherry's. The courtroom was crowded, the citizens being on the alert to see what "Jakey dast do to Dover." The judge heard the case gravely, evidently aware of his responsibility. The witness for the government was unimpeachable. Very seriously, and as if to gain time, the judge rebuked Dover for using his strength on a smaller boy; then, moment of hesitation, he said, "Fifty cents. Next case." Here, as elsewhere, money talks." Dover, to whom his wealth is dear, promptly paid his fine. Meanwhile the smaller boy was before the bar, testified against by the same wit Farmyard Scene. 46 ness for the government. One dollar," said the judge, and the little fellow emptied his pockets. The sociological professors did not dare speak, but looked significantly at one another. It is out of these difficulties, as the young nation has encountered them, that its system of laws has been created. The legislature had a Lexow committee then investigating charges of favoritism and cruelty on the part of the police. The Chief of Police and the warden of the jail were before the committee and sharply examined. The charges were brought forward with conviction, and resisted with the calmness of innocence. The chief, a boy familiarly known as Eddy, was clad in blue denim with gold braid, the uniform of the police, and wore his rank on a crownless straw hat. He was already observed for his calm temperament and the persuasive manner in which he allayed disorder where his subordinates flourished clubs. He had come from more unhappy surroundings than any boy in Camp, but here he was easily seen to be one of the healthful influences of the place. The result of the investigations of the Lexow committee was afterward seen publicly posted: "Keepers of the prison are hereby forbidden to strike prisoners except in selfdefense. A dark cell shall be provided, in which refractory prisoners may be subjected to solitary confinement. The police force enjoys the same authority and conspicuousness that it does in larger communities. The details are posted at six o'clock, relieved at noon, and again at night, with orderly precision. There Policeman making an Arrest. are five posts guarding the boundaries of the fifty-acre farm which constitutes the area of the Junior Republic. These are the only guards, and may be passed at any time by any citizen holding a pass. The only penal offense of the season was the forgery of a pass. The District Attorney was then working up the case. It was to be a trial by jury, and conviction would involve the wearing of stripes and convict labor. This was the first trial of the kind during the season. This had been remarked in contrast to the year before, when penal offenses had been common and a gang of convicts rather permanently maintained. In the same manner, out of the needs of the Republic was created the Street Cleaning Department, one of the most efficient bureaus of the place. It was cheering in the morning to see Commissioner Staigg out overlooking his gangs. The commissioner was a blond youth, rakishly attired in a white flannel blazer, knee breeches, and long blue stockings. Two of the section bosses were lanky, half-clad young men who had taken a week to beat their way out from town to the Junior Republic, of which they had heard. They were typical lodging house youths. Yet how potent is responsibility! Their devotion to pickaxes and brooms, early and late, was conspicuous in a community where passes to Freeville and freedom to orchards and groceries could be purchased for five dollars. The Junior Republic occupies forty-eight acres on the edge of town. These are under the supervision of the Street Cleaning Department, and kept scrupulously clean. A glance at the bulletin posted in front of the post-office will give an idea of its methods: STREET CLEANING DEPARTMENT. "The employees of the Street Cleaning Department shall have power to arrest all persons who litter up the grounds. "There shall be five volunteer inspectors, members of the House, whose duties will be to see that no injustice is done to the department or to the citizens. "The contract for the construction of board walks shall be resold on August 22d." The presence of citizens wearing shawls and aprons in the legislature has implied equal suffrage. This by no means always prevailed. The young Republic being modeled on the greater republic, its lawmaking was exclusively in the hands of the boys. But the taxes being levied according to valuation on all citizens alike, the girls began to ask: "Why do we have to pay for having things done?" The question was carefully explained. "Very well," said one; "then we will go up to the next legislature and have something to say." The Workhouse Gang. Toilers whom hunger drives to the workhouse are given plain food in exchange for a certain amount of work. But one of the swells of the Camp, a boy of seventeen, and a great favorite of the girls, told them that if they did go they couldn't vote. Besides, it wasn't ladylike to vote, anyway. No ladies voted in the city. This satisfied the girls, who said they "didn't want to vote after all." But in time, another and larger tax bill was presented. This enraged them. They declared they were not going to put up with any such work. A deputation accordingly went to Mr. George, who is the president of the Junior Republic, and asked him what they could do about it. They were told that they had the right to petition the legislature to give them the right to vote. This they did, but the bill was defeated. They made, however, a second effort, and the suffrage was granted. It was my good fortune to attend a primary. There were three parties -that in power, that intimating a ring and Busy Time in the Police Court. (The whole procedure is exactly modeled on the New York City self." police courts.) , charging favoritism on the part of the I knows a thing or two about politics megovernment, and the girls' ticket. There were nominating speeches, and clamorous. charges of fraud in the caucus, repeaters being haled out by the police and taken to the station-house. It is gratifying, however, to add that this proved to be the result of ignorance and not intention on the part of the arrested. The election was held the next afternoon, after a busy morning of electioneering, under the auspices of the police, in the courthouse, and the results posted that evening. The machinery of elections corresponds to that of the greater republic, including the latest improvement, the blanket ballot. It will have been noticed throughout that no ideal system of government is attempted. On the contrary, the defects as well as the virtues of our republican system, as far as practicable, are followed. This, which might be considered an experiment of doubtful value by perfectionists, has something to say for itself. Such was Dod Wotton's view. "I tell youse, I've been a citizen meself, an' Jimmy O. will never lead me around by the nose, like he leads me fader. The actual state, Mr. George would argue, is essential to the making of good citizens, which it is the object of the Junior Republic to do. Consequently it should involve a knowledge of the pitfalls as well as of the benefits of government. With Mr. George naturally resides the veto power. This he tells me he has been called to exercise not over six times; and usually it has been in the case of some law the consequences of which were further reaching than the people's representatives could see. For example, the passes is five dollars. tent, Congress passed girls to pay only two Convicts Breaking Stone. charge for issuing With chivalrous ina law requiring the dollars and a half. This law President George vetoed, since it was not improbable that on some future occasion the girls might be discriminated against on the ground that they only paid half price for their passes, anyway. The familiar name of Camp to There is a number of nationalities may be counted crosslegged on tables and the floor that it might seem like a little corner of the millennium; but this is rather due to the cohesive power of song, even though it be that of Gospel hymns. designate the fifty acres occupied by the rings for a chance sermon. Junior Republic indicates that the mili- Sunday-school. Decorous groups attend, tary obligations of the citizens are not neg- girls in a fresh ribbon, boys girt about the lected. There are three companies, armed neck. But citizens are strolling over the with State rifles, under a colonel and his grounds, lying on the sunny slopes, spendstaff, and with an inspiring fife and drum ing the day as they are so minded with corps. The last only is uniformed. The book or company. There is some religcolonel at least has a coat, but there are ious activity. The Sunday-school supnot a few privates with three fingers on the ports a missionary, who is waitress and ribs bare. The relative unimportance of member of the lower House as well. There boots, suspenders, and neckties to soldierly is a Junior Endeavor Club, in which such a qualities was forced on the observation. In fact, to the outsider, one of the lessons of this novel experiment is how little, after all, is essential. The troops are drilled by a member of the Seventh regiment, one of Mr. George's volunteer aides, and would be a credit to any military school which more fortunate young people attend. There are glorious afternoons spent in sham fights over the slopes and in imposing clouds of blue smoke rent with battle cries. The feature of the closing day is dress parade. It is a sight impressive to solemnity. This is partly due to the contributory landscape, beautiful under the declining rays of the sun; but more to the sentiment of the occasion. There is almost always a picturesque group behind Mr. George, commander-in-chiefgrave professors, farmers, and fine ladies alike stealthily disposing of vagrant tears. Dress parade is carried out in all its details, and to these is added the flag drill of the company of girls, duly officered, and no less conspicuous for their martial bearing than the boys. Borrowing Money ant Making Out a Note. Six days of observation had demonstrated the complete freedom of the citizen under the laws for which he was responsible. But people who can keep their hands off the individual on week days can rarely resist at least touching the shoulder on Sunday. Mr. George, to whom is due the idea of this enterprise and its development, is preeminently a religious man. Faith shines in his face and illumines his eyes. But here is absolute separation of Church and State. The courthouse bell During the summer the only schools are industrial, and are regarded rather as trades for which wages are paid. The organization of the Republic, however, is kept up through the winter. Thirty-five boys, as many as the buildings would accommodate, were selected to remain. These go to school. Freeville declined their company. Thus the school of the Republic was instituted with educational features of its own. The essential difference is that school here is a business. There are workmen, inspectors, and teachers. These are paid according to their services. All are pupils. The teachers are the older boys under Mr. George's guidance. The workmen are the younger boys, and the inspectors are from the middle grade. These are not mere terms. In arithmetic, for example, the workman contracts to build a sewer, dig a ditch, or lay stone according to certain specifications. These tasks involve those arithmetical principles that he is ready to encounter. The inspectors look over the work to see if it is properly done. If the workman needs assistance, he can hire the inspector, who in this way earns his living. One result is that the idle boy, when required to do work for John Smith of Elmira, in a hurry to get his foundations built, or eggs packed for the winter market, will keep at it, big with responsibility, until the work is done. But perhaps no better idea of the workings of the Junior Republic in the full exercise of its functions can be gained than from the "Financial Budget " which is weekly posted at the post-office door, and of which the following is an example: Sewing for the Government. $17 75 16.00 75.00 43.50 6 30 16.00 10 00 an The George Junior Republic was last year but in its second summer. The greater number of its two hundred inhabitants were new. They had come pledged for seventy days a pledge they were required to keep. There have been deserters, two of whom were recaptured at a neighboring town by the police of the 45% Republic, and subsequently became hon22 50 orable citizens. The inhabitants are chosen from the least fortunate, and the worst surroundings. No boy is too bad 550 for admittance. One of the most hapless 550 of these children is a boy under twelve 230 00 who has committed arson five times and 8 70 bears the marks of the congenital offender. But heredity does not appear to be considered here. The boy has a guardian appointed by the government in an older boy who is responsible for him. Thus far the responsibility has worked admirably for both. No one would contend that the two brief years of the Junior Republic has yet demonstrated more than that it is an interesting experiment, fortified by such instances as this-a boy is a consistent law-breaker, and after some forty arrests and punishments, sagely concludes that law-breaking does not pay. He goes to work, and before the season closes has laid up forty dollars, which, redeemed in potatoes, is sufficient to keep his family at home all winter. 100 00 $589 25 These details are soberly inspected by the citizens going to and fro from post-office and bank, to see what are the rates of concession for hotels and restaurants, and the amount of surplus in view of future taxation. The Republic is the result of the dissatisfaction of a young New Yorker, Mr. William George, with philanthropic methods. These tend to lose the individual in the system, when the need is for good citizens and free men. The fact of citizenship never had firmer hold on the mind of man than it has in the hatless, shoeless boy with his hands in his pockets, walking |