Looking Backward

That evening, West listens to music with Edith in the music room, and he asks Edith a question about something he overheard his first morning in their home; West believes Edith is withholding a secret from him. Edith blushes. She confesses that it is true but asks that West not ask her to share the secret yet. West promises to wait until she is ready, but he has trouble falling asleep that night because he is so distraught by the secret.

The next morning, West looks for Edith but cannot find her until he sees her at breakfast. He brings a newspaper from 1887 to show Dr. Leete, who then reads stories of labor unrest while they eat. West asks Dr. Leete how the United States dealt with the anarchists of his day, whom he calls the “followers of the red flag” (148). Dr. Leete tells him that it is accepted knowledge that the corporations paid the anarchists to cause trouble; their methods were so unpopular that their actions led many people to side with the corporations, delaying reform.

Dr. Leete explains reform could not happen until the formation of the national party. The labor parties realized their cause was not popular enough to encourage change, so a party appeared that proposed changes for the benefit of all.