Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-09-12
HISTORY AND HISTORIANS.

HISTORY AND HISTORIANS.
The history of the Red River Val
ley, fresh from the press of a Chi
cago publisher, does not please the
Fargo Forum, the editor whereof
protests against inaccuracies that
stand forth and which concern mat
tiers within his ken. Dealing, as it
does, with the history of these coun-
ties lying within the Red River Val
ley and going, unfortunately, into in
innate details instead of handing
large subject broadly, this history Of
the Valley is open to criticism that
might be captious if applied in larg-
er affairs.
The Forum protests that it is de-
sirous of seeing a real history of the
state and intimates that such his
tory should be compiled by those ia
miliar with the subject and the state.
We have not had an opportunity Of
examining the History of the Red
River Valley, but assume that the
Forum would not indulge in criti-
cism except in those particulars Of
which it's editor would be likely to
be informed. AS to the indicated
need of a history of the state which
should be at once comprehensive,
free from naccuracies-except such
as must be a part Of any work of
man-and a product of North DakO-
ia enterprise and literary capacity,
the Bismarck Tribune is already
pledged to supply it.
Work on the History of North Da-
'kota undertaken early in the year
by the Bismarck Tribune has pro-
crossed to an extent that warrants
the statement that it will meet those
objections which the Forum makes
in detail. The plan and scope of this
history. puts it in class by itself.
1t is big work and has been gone
at in a manner that takes into con-
sideration all the obligations of the
historian to the past, the present and
the future. The chronicle will be
simply a chronicle, without excur-
sions into the realm of possibilities
or motives. This work the Bismarck
Tribune has committed to competent
hands. AS for the physical product
the book itself-it will be printed
and bound entirely in the Bismarck
Tribune oficer-a state production in
every particular. 1t will set new
mark in bookmaking in the new west
and will remain for many years
demonstration Of the progress of the
state in the art preservative. With
this object in view the Tribune has
| made provision for a limited edition
an edition de luxe. 1t would not be
possible to carry the expense of such
an undertaking to satisfactory out
come by producing a cheap book by
In limiting the work to an edition
specially made for subscribers the
Bismarck Tribune has found it pos
sible to adhere to a plan for making
a magnificent book, illustrated wholly
with steel plates. This latter feature
will make the Tribune's History of
North Dakota unique in enterprises
of a like nature carried on by pri-
vate means. Such work will pro-
vide standard and enduring reposi-
tory Of the history of the state to
date and will furnish forth the his
torian of the future with such an &C.
curate chronicle as will eliminate the
element of error from his written
resources. 1t is the present object of
the Tribune to conserve history, not
to sell a great number Of books.
Holding to this objective the Tribune
may expect to produce a work that
will meet the appreciation Of the
Forum and the press and public gen.
orally and which will combine in
fit setting the story Of North Dakota
and a demonstration of it's literary
and mechanical resources in that art
of which there is no end-the max
ing of books.