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.
Busy Time in the Police Court. (The whole procedure is exactly modeled on the New York City police courts.)
It was my good fortune to attend a primary. There were three parties—that in power, that intimating a ring and charging favoritism on the part of the government, 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.
I knows a thing or two about politics meself."
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 charge for issuing passes is five dollars. With chivalrous intent, Congress passed a law requiring the girls to pay only two 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.
Convicts Breaking Stone.
The familiar name of Camp to
