Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-01-21

TIM MATERIALS ~ HISTORY
II read correctly the statement OF
the object Tor which the state Historic
nj society was founded, nnd the rnfe
poses HuhHorycd by itn cNlatcncei nave
to conclude that while the terfitoiinl
extent Of It's operations II proicsscily
local the variety OF It's work N practir-
ally unhounded. Tho society has to do
with man-nll that he has been, ", or
may become In this region. The Wis
dom OF establishing such an orfhniAa-
ton as this, ~ beyond question. the
zeal OF It's promoters cannot De 70"
highly praised. It's continued ana IN
cruarlnF Hucccra win be heartily well
coined hy all clnnsoH IN the community.
The establishment OF the society W 70
be- remembered NJ an appropriate ana
enduring feature Of the jubilee OF THIS
ir,cr-mountain commonwealth.
II has been said that no history can
write IT, own beginning Written his
tory requires recorder. and the his
torinn recognizes past In himself and
In his subject. The earlier the recor-
der begins his efficient work, the fuller
aud the more reliable viii be- his rcc-
ord The mlsta of the past gather
with marked rapidly; ana before we
are aware. an appalling obseufity Hes
behind M, THIS II true Of the individ-
uni life. as OF that Of the community
and OF the nation. and without monu-
mentH able to withstand the darkcn-
ing aud dinintcgrating effects OF the
gathering fogr, the history VI even the
most powerful pcoplcn becomes as
tale that n soon told. The best monu-
mcntH to It's own memory that people
can construct. " faithful and specific
record OF its career. preserved IN the
best manner, Buildings crumhic statues
and towers, Hnrcophnri and tombH
Yield alike 90 the destructive tooth OF
time. and archcologihtr, rummnglng
amid the ruins, often strive IN vain 10
unearth the fundamental facts con-
nccted with the departed builders. IL
II there be- cause Tor doubt an 20 these
facts, how can we hope even for re-
liable references and conclusions based
upon thcmf Hut u written history
may bc pcrpctuntcd, by successive
editions II not In the original, and tho
multiplying OF copies becomes at once
II safeguard against loss, and against
n corruption ~ the record by altera-
tion.
The materials Of history are facts.
tho true recorder " he who retn forth
those facts, without color OF bias or
prejudice, the reader ana Interpreter
of the history may draw conclusions
for himself. While a record OF fartH
IN OF greatest worth II II be made ON
the ground and nj the time OF their
realization, deductions ana conclu-
sionn Immediately drawn are not In
frequently less correct than those OF
later birth. Tor the rignihcancc OF any
occurrence IN often FAR from clcnr UNI
al the light OF subsequent develop
menta render u plain. The separate
details OF landscape, or even the
architectural clementH OF n building.
arc best studied from close point of
view; their relationship each 10 tho
other. their Significance IN the impos-
ing structure or In the inspiring View.
! can be- comprehendcd only when dis
lance lends. not alone Ia cnchantment.
/ but likewise It's perspective To tho
! whole.
Infcrenccs are OF less present I'm
portnlae than are facts; the former
need never be lacking n the latter be
within reach. In tho nll-and ever
/ important present. with which this
worthy society has most "a do, an in-
partial record Of current events con-
s,i,utc Us most imporlan, work
Yet with all possible care.
we cannot hope FOR full and
porfeot record, The most complete his
tory within the bounds OF mans utmost
power To write, can be nothing muit
than a chronicle ~ what appeared a.
the writer 20 be the most salient. OF
nefhapa, simply tho most intcrcstlne
facts. And what Ia one may be- trivial
may 20 another seem fraught with
great Significance "A multiplicity al
recorders is therefore desirable. among
whom the principal divisions OF IA,
vast field may be allotted. Aud this
important condition IN realized In ~
efficient organization % this Kind viii
many workers on many lines. Their
ace to be written, not alone the chron'
iclcE OF political changsa, and party
/ revolutions, Significant af such occur
renccs may be. but also tho account Of
human strugglc and progrcsa In all th'
various pursuits and Industries OF life
the growth OF literature, the advance o
science and art; the continuation OF IN
labor OF conquest over the desart. M
climatic changes which seemingly hnV,
oo-opernted with civilized man since lil
coming hlther; all the social ana ro
liglous Efforts and triumpha of utah'i
citizens; and every other phnao OF ac
tivity and endeayor.
10 each OF these separate lines Of re
search and record thcro II a past. II
writing the history of Utah, one find
natural sturting-point In the advch