Editorialana. 267
Defiance has better claims for such a
monument as is proposed. The
beauty of the site, here situated in the
heart of the city should give
Defiance the precedence.
The Maumee Valley Pioneer Association
wishes to save Roche de
Boeuf from being used as a pier for a
bridge to be built across the
river at that point by the Cincinnati
Northern Traction Co.
Secretary J. L. Pray said the
association would probably first at-
tempt to persuade the electric company
to change its survey so the
proposed bridge at Roche de Boeuf will
cross the river a few hundred
feet above the famous rock, which would,
in his opinion, give the road
a better and less expensive crossing and
at the same time preserve the
rock and the surrounding scenery to the
eyes of the traveler using the
line.-Defiance Crescent News, March
28, 1907.
STATE HISTORIANS.
The Legislature of Maine has just
created the office of State His-
torian, The appointee is to receive no
salary, but actual expenses, not
to exceed $500 a year will be paid. It
is probable, therefore, that some
qualified person is ready to accept the
position for the honor conferred.
The selection is to be made by the Governor
by nomination from the
State Historical Society. The act is
also intended to promote the writ-
ing and publication of local history. It
provides that in the town his-
tories, prominence shall be given to
matters of local geography, "which
may be suitable for use in the grammar
and high school grades of the
public schools" in such towns. The
manuscript of town histories must
be approved by the State Historian, and
when published by the town
"the State Treasurer shall pay the
town so publishing a sum not exceed-
ing $150, but the state shall not pay to
any town to exceed one-half of
the amount paid by said town for
printing and binding said histories."
The act evidently contemplates
considerable voluntary service to make
it effective.
New York, which of course has a history
that is much longer, and
of far greater interest and importance
than that of Maine, has had a
State Historian, as one of the permanent
officers of the state government
since 1895. In that year a law was
passed providing for the appointment
by the Governor, with the advice and
consent of the Senate, of such an
official, whose duty is to collect and
edit for publication all official
records, memoranda and data relative to
the Colonial and Revolutionary
wars, also the later wars, including
that of the Rebellion. The Historian
is also required to collect and edit,
all official records, memoranda and
statistics, affecting the relations of
this commonwealth with foreign
powers, other states of the Union, and
with the United States. The
office, ever since its creation, has
been efficiently filled by Mr. Hugh
Hastings of New York City.-Buffalo
Commercial, April 19, 1907.