Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-11-16
SOURCES OF HISTORY.
Co. Operation in Historical Research
Preserving Documents.

| modern thought is the changed attl-
| tude toward history. 1t is no longer
| possible for the historian to build his
| structure with secondhand material
however effectively he may use that
material or however attractively he
NAV remodel it. To gain a hearing
| from intelligent men he must build his
work upon the sure foundation of
original sources: and he must leave his
foundation exposed SO that all who go
by NAV test the character of his ma
terial and the faithful use he has made
| OF it, If he would have it recognized
as literature he must also build artist
cally, with all the skill of a literary
craftsmanship that is beside the pres
ent point.
To meet the needs of the modern
historian it has become necessary to
gather from far and near the primary
documents that constitute his raw ma
terial. The tremendous importance of
this task has been gradually dawning
upon the governing bodies of civilized
lands. with the result that national
archives have been established at pub
lie expense, to be the repositories of
manuscript material of every descrip-
ton bearing upon the history of the
country The British government in
augurated a movement of this kind
some years ago. and has already made
immense strides in the garnering and
safeguarding of material pertaining to
the history of the United Kingdom.
With that energy and generosity
which charactcrizes activities for the
general welfare of the United States. it
10 ta hi n
same direction. Efforts, more or less
well directed. have been made toward
the same end in France. Germany,
Spain. Italy and other continental
countries. 1t remained. however. for
the people of Holland to set an exam
PIE which all other countries might
we'll follow With native caution and
thoroughness, never more happily di-
recteG. the government of the Neither
lands appointed a commission of advice
to survey the whole field Of historical
material affecting it's own country. The
most expert intelligence available by
the nation was first to consider with
deliberate care the question what most
needed to be done. and was then to de-
Wise a general and relatively perma-
ncnt plan for doing it. With the ad-
this commission before it the govern
mcnt was in a position to establish a
department Of national archives, into
which could be gathered, with the
minimum expenditure of time and en-
ergy. the documentary sources of the
history of the Netherlands. This
economical and businesslike policy
stands in rather a striking contrast to
A. H.
tries.
Canada's advent upon the scene of
archival labor is comparately recent
at least. 50 far as really effective work
is concerned. The first archivist Of the
dominion, the late DR. Douglas Brym
ncr, worked for years in an atmos-
phere which could scarcely be des-
cribed as sympathetic. That he ac-
ccmplished so much is due almost en-
tirely to the unconquerable enthusiasm
of the man. That he left so much to
be done was in no wise any fault of
his With rare good fortune the
Canadian government was able to Sc
cure as his successor one who COM
bines the scholarship and genius for
research. the nose" for hidden docu
mcnts. Of his predecessor, with uncom-
mon executive ability and, what is
peculiarly important today. a keen ap-
probation of the Importance of max
ing the manuscript riches of the ar
chives readily accessible by means of
careful classification and exhaustive in
deXcs, as well as the desire to meet in
generous spirit the needs Of those in
veStigators who. for one reason or
another are unable to visit the ar
chlves PERSONAL---VERY. Maya
zine.