The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-10-10
History or MYTH.

With a controversy raging over the 10
cation OF Shakespeare's Globe Theater;
with the Italians claiming credit for the
discovery Of the Hudson by one Of their
countrymen; with adherents OF a dozen
claimants for the honor Of having Invent
ed the steamboat inopportunely pressing
their claims: with the courts about to de-
eide the priority OF aeroplane inventions.
where can the historian find peace7
We are asked to admit that william
Tell did not shoot the apple from his
sons head. that Bacon wrote Shakes
peare, that Bell did not invent the tele-
phone, that the Chinese never built the
great wall, that Darwin did not develop
the theory OF evolution. that Cleopatra
was homely. that Morse did not send the
first message over a wire. that Guten-
berg did not run the first printing press.
that Nero could not play a fiddle, that
Columbus did not discover America-but
why continue? The list is without end
Now arises the question in the mind OF
a writer IN the New York Post as TO what
OF history. and how do we know history
when we SEQ it. II DIT. Cook and Com
mander Peary cannot decide on the dis
ooverer Of the north pole, and II the mat
ter IS not settled 20 the satisfaction OF
the present generation. how can those
who come several hundred years later be
expected TO know the truth? How can
historians write OF the battle Of Santiago
II the public holds a different view from
the naval authorities and each finds de-
tenders IN print7
History is made by rapid-fre action.
Battles are not fought deliberately and
with view to allowing the scribe to set
down in order every event as It tran
spires. Even in a ball game It is neces-
sary to know the decision OF the umpire
or one could not keep score; for personal
opinion differs on such things as the
credit OF a hit or the giving Of an error.
Newspaper repOI to-z often make his
tory. They go after the facts and get the
facts as far as It is possible. But did
you ever tell OF some remarkable scene
you had witnessed and then listen to
the description OF the same incident by
another eyewitness? The hearer OF both
reports oftentlmes would not know that
the same incident was being described
excpDt for the fact that l,a vr.ao ot,,a,, -, q
outline. As for the details, they may be
Numerically opposed. Go to a court
room while Jury trial Is in progress and
note the discrepancies in the testimony
Of the witnesses. All this is making his
tory, and all history gets so much local
color that the line OF demarcation be-
tween truth and fancy. fact and fiction,
between actual occurrences and what the
observer took TO be happenings, is faint
and often entirely obllterated.
II a reporter gets nine out Of ten state
ments correct. he is probably doing far
better than one unframed for the work
could do. If you find a report In q reli-
able paper. the chances are that It is as
accurately gathered and written as most
of the evidence presented in court. The
reporter is as careful in the preparation
Of his copy" as the pastor is In the pull
pit, or as the lawyer before a Jury. He is
Tar more guarded than The speaker. ex-
! cept one on scientific subjects. Put your