The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-06
school Histories of the civil war.

A constantly recurring and rather Vex-
atious question is that of school histories
of the civil war. No work has yet been
produced which meets with the approval
of the people of both sections Of the coun-
try The treatment Of the causes of the
great conflict Is invariably prejudced one
way or the other, and partisan sentiment
is set forth as historical fact. The his
torians appear to have had the impress
sion that it was their duty to furnish
vindicating arguments in behalf of their
respective sides 1t cannot be doubted
that some of them endeavored to throw
off prejudice, and write lin cold blood,
but the effort was not successful. South
ern people reject Indignantly the school
histories written by northern authors in
which they are called traitors and rebels,
and northern people quite as spiritedly
reject the position of southern authors,
that the north was wholly in the wrong.
So unsatisfactory have the histories been
found that the Grand Army of the Re
public, rejecting all of them, has engaged
Prof. John Bach McMaster to prepare
for it a special history of the war. to be
used as a text book in the schools under
the patronage of the organization.
1t cannot be hoped that this history by
Prof. McMaster will be found an improve
ment upon the others. Indeed, If it car
ries out and sustains the G. A. r. idea, it
will probably be more Objectionable %
southern people than many of its prede-
cessors. The Grand Army would prob
ably not be satisfied with a cold recital
of the facts on both sides. 1t will want
the very strongest eX parte statement
possible made out for its side Of the
case.
When shall there be an end to this
school history question? Is it still too
early for the great struggle and its ante
cedents to be viewed calmly and dispas-
sionately by historians who may have
been directly or indirectly interested in it?
That seems to be the opinion in some
quarters But in other quarters it is be-
lieved that the time for the north and the
south to get together" on this question
has arrived. The Chicago Times Herald
throws out the suggestion that the two
sections should come together, through
representative men, and agree as to what
constitutes history in respect to the war,
what the essential facts are and how
they should he presented to school chill
dren. conference upon the subject,
our contemporary thinks, might result in
the production of history which would
be acceptable to both sections, would
breathe the true Americanism, and do
much to cement the north and south In
affection for their common country and
flag.
The suggestion IS worthy of thoughtful
consideration. The south has nothing TO
lose by such an arrangement. 1t is the
south's position that she is willing TO
have the facts set down precisely as they
are, for the information of posterity. A
conference of the kind suggested would
enable the south to present the essential
facts Of her case before a large and intel
ligent board of arbitration in which she
was equally represented. The late "op-
position" would make a similar presenta-
ton, and from the mass of evidence sub
mitted might be selected the essential
facts-the true history-for preservation
and the education of the youth Of the
land.