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THE WORKERS
WE BREATHE THE HOT AIR, HEAVY WITH THE SMELL OF FRESHSOIL. AND
THE SWEAT DRIPS FROM OUR FACES UPON THE DAMP CLAY.
THE WORKERS
AN
EXPERIMENT IN REALITY
BY
WALTER A. WYCKOFF
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL ECONOMY IN
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
THE EAST
NEW YORK
CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS
1899
Copyright, 1897, by
CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS
TROW DIRECTORY
PRINTING AND BOOKBINDING COMPANY
NEW YORK
TO
CHANNING F. MEEK, Esq.
PREFACE
The preface to a narrative like this must itself be of the nature of astory which will account for the expedition here described, and makeclear the point of view from which the experiment was tried.
Enough of the actual setting of the tale is implied in a passingreference to a charming country-seat on Long Island Sound, and thepresence there of a fellow-guest, Mr. Channing F. Meek—a chanceacquaintance to me then. His wide knowledge of the West, his intimatefamiliarity with practical affairs, and his catholic sympathy withhuman nature, made him a man wholly new and interesting to me. Andin our talk, which drifted early into channels of social questions,I could but feel increasingly the difference between my slender,book-learned lore and his vital knowledge of men and the principles bywhich they live and work.
One radiant Sunday morning in midsummer there came to me from histalk so strong a suggestion of the means of acquiring the practicalknowledge that I lacked, and in a way that gave promise of anexperiment so interesting, and of such high possibility of successfultreatment, that in that hour I knew that I was pledged to itsundertaking.
No further disclosure of my animus is needed than has already beenhinted at in the fact of a new, unoccupied, inviting field and thefair prospect which its development offered to a student eager for aplace among original investigators. I cannot, however, sufficientlyacknowledge my indebtedness to the friends whose generou