AMERICAN  PREFACE.

At  last  on  tliis  side  of  tlie  Atlantic  an  earnest,  wide-spread
activitj'  in  behalf  of  populär  art-education  is  beginning  to  manifest ­
  itself,  not  only  among  educators,  but  among  business  men,
distinguished  for  the  interest  they  take  in  the  development  of
American  industry.  As  to  the  character  of  this  activity,  different
opinions  prevail.  Some  believe  it  is  a  mere  edueational  spasm
which  will  soon  pass  away;  others  tliat  it  is  only  the  beginning ­
  of  what  we  are  to  see,  —  of  a  new  era  in  education.  That
the  latter  are  right,  that  this  new-born  activity  is  justified  by
enduring  considerations  of  educational  and  industrial  policy,  a
survey  of  the  more  conspicuous  facts  will  make  evident  enough.
This  survey  must  embraee  not  only  the  field  at  home,  but  the
foreign  as  well.

AN  AGE  OF  INDUSTRIAL  CONFLICT.
While  no  one  can,  say  that  the  time  approaches  when  Europe
will  cease  to  “  tremble  under  the  drums  and  tramplings  ”  of  martial
  hosts,  j r et  it  is  very  clear  that  she  is  now  to  behold  a  long
age  of  industrial  conflicts  among  the  leading  nations,  witli  issues
quite  as  momentous  as  any  that  were  decided  at  Waterloo  or
Sedan.  Tlhs  age  has  fairly  set  in,  as  a  glance  at  the  past,  by
way  of  comparison,  will  show.
At  the  beginning  of  the  present  centuiy,  it  was  the  well-drilled
soldier  upon  whom  the  different  nations  of  Europe  relied  for
defence:  the  well-trained  workman  counted  for  little.  To  be
sure,  Napoleon,  when  first  consul,  recognizing  the  vital  importance
of  industrial  education,  took  vigorous  measures  to  promote  it  in

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