The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-07-09

| W. +. Linn of Wharton OF Captain w. p
Zuber Of lola; of the Texas Historical So
ciety OF Galveston, and, / have no doubt
of many others.
which exists in great abundance in Texas.
refer to old newspapers, family letters,
Implements and household utensils. fam
lily records, church records, pictures, cir
culars, political hand bills, etc. In every
community there are families who possess
greater or less matter of this kind: most
of 1t perhaps has greater value for the
local than for the general history of the
State; but the local history must be
studied and appreciated before the gen
eral history can be written
This great mass OF material invites the
efforts of students of the present and
succeeding generations. Much OF 1t has
slept, Ike the princess in the story. its
fun hundred years, awaiting the kiss OF
the prince to be wakened into life OF
power and beauty. And the prince in this
case must come in the plural. No ono
man can work up all the material In
reach; scores OF investigators may find
employment for a lifetime and then leave
rich portions OF the field practically un-
touched. The work done must be in the
form OF monographs on the various topics
which make up Texas history. / mention
the following as subjects of the kind re-
ferred TO which | happen to know have
been partially worked up or are being
worked up by young men just entering
this field Robertson's colony; the Nc
Mullen and McGloin colony; the sources
OF the Constitution OF 1886: The Chero-
kee Indians under the Mexican govern
ment; the decree OF April 6, 1880; Hous-
toms retreat and the battle OF San ia
cinto; the quarrel between Governor Smith
and the council OF the provisional govern
mont. You can see at glance that the
number of subjects like these Is almost
without limit. and, as have tried to show
above the material most abundant
IL is upon such detailed studies, too,
TINT we must depend for the accuracy and
value OF our general and popular books OF
Texas history. Each OF these and similar
topics affords field for months and even
years Of earnest work, and one in when
literary fame may be achieved and schol-
arly ability demonstrated. and when fully
worked out. furnishes conclusions which
are ready to be fitted into the general
structure OF Texas history In this way
from the bottom. not from the top--the
history Of Texas must be written. No
great building can be erected till the tim
bers arc cut and shaped and the stone
quarried and dressed; no more can the
history OF Texas be written until sound
materials have been provided by labo-
rious investigation OF the sources what
we need In Texas history work is more
men for the quarry.
There Is room In this work for every
body. Every community In Texas has
history; every community has within its
boundaries those whose recolections OF
former times are well worth preserving
Here Is field for persons who have not
the time for more extended research or
who do not live within reach OF the larger
collections. In Massachusetts every town
has It's volume OF local history; most OF
them have several volumes. and the inn
portant towns dozen or more. Not many
years will pass. l trust, till it will be SO
In Texas.
The "reminiscences OF those who have
witnessed the wonderful transformation
of the last half or even Of the last quar-
ter century should be preserved; those
give coloring and life to history. Many
old people are loath to write for publica-
tlon who would gladly pass In review the
scenes OF earlier times that another might
write OF them. The Texas State Histori-
cal association especially invites such
work as this and through its Quarterly az
fords . convenient means OF publication.
Thers T. an opportunity in every COM