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FOREWORD
PERSISTENT in the aim proposed in its initial num-
  ber, "The Craftsman" for the current month offers
  to its readers a series of papers upon certain phases of art
  allied to Labor. Metals, the objects which are made from
  them, and the processes which are applied to them are
  here considered by a number of writers, several of whom
  are themselves craftsmen.
                           It is hoped that the suggestions
 upon the use of enamel as a decorative agent may awaken
 interest in a medium of artistic expression, as yet little
 understood in America, but possessing almost unlimited
 possibilities of picturesqueness to be added to our interiors
 and even, as the writer indicates, to our public thorough-
 fares.
                           The articles by the women
 workers in metals, technical and practical, like those upon
 the art of book-binding contained in the April issue, will
 doubtless prove instructive to those practically interested
 in these special crafts. They are also a sign of the times,
 hopeful and not to be disregarded, showing that the ques-
 tion of sex is relatively unimportant, and that workman-
 ship alone is the test through which the right to labor and
 to create is gained.
                           The critique of the Alexander
 W. Drake collection : section of brass and copper vessels,
 is written by one competent to judge of its value. The
 article is unusual, as coming from an artist and craftsman,
..  that, beside treating of medium, form and color, it
reaches out to questions social and racial. It is a tribute
to the art of which William Morris was the advocate and
prophet; a system created by the people for the service of
the people, and which supplies a first necessity of all
civilized life.
                           In such service "The Crafts-
 man" will continue to put forth effort, and workers in
 any medium are invited to accept the aid of this publica-
 ,ftion for their encouragement and advancement. Anything