THE HISTORICAL OPPORTUNITY IN COLORADO 21 



It may be said that the outUnes of the history of the State have been 

 defined in a superficial way, and that personal recollection, strengthened 

 by an uncritical use of newspapers, has done as much as can be expected 

 of it. The next step, which is the production of critical monographs on 

 details of the history, is now being taken. The learned institutions of the 

 state are showing a consciousness of their duty in respect to the local 

 problem,^ while the neighboring states that once embraced the territory 

 of Colorado are aiding in the work,^ and individuals within the state are 

 doing something in the way of publication of personal reminiscences.^ 



As a means for aiding this production of monograph literature, the 

 gathering of source material has not only been begun, but has resulted 

 in at least two valuable collections of Coloradoana. The sources for 

 the history of Colorado are to be found in several different classes, 

 none of which may be neglected by the student. The documents of 

 the. state, which form the foundation for the legal portion of the history, 

 include the printed statutes, journals and reports of both state and 

 territorial periods, and the great mass of unpublished manuscript records 

 which are to be found in the archives of the Capitol and the counties.'* 

 The statutes, documents and debates of Congress also throw much 

 light on special phases of Colorado history. In the matter of non- 

 official sources, the newspapers lead the way, subject always to the 

 limitations upon material of this sort. The mistakes of both head and 

 heart which abound in the daily press do not destroy its source value, 

 but certainly do impose upon the student the necessity for more care 

 and higher degrees of criticism than do any other of our modern sources. 

 Personal recollections, biographies and other private works add greatly 

 to the source material at the disposal of the scholar. 



' Ei.MER H. Meyer (of the University of Denver), "The Constitution of Colorado," in Iowa Journal of 

 History and Politics, Vol. II, pp. 2.i;6-274; Frederic L. Paxson (of the University of Colorado), "The Bounda- 

 ries of Colorado," in University oflColorado Studies, Vol. II, pp. 87-04; B. M. Rastall (of Colorado College), 

 "The Cripple Creek Strike of 1893," in Colorado College Studies, Social Science Series, No. 5, June, 1905, pp. 

 1-48. 



" Helen G. Gill, "The Establishment of Counties in Kansas," in Kansas Historical Collections, Vol. 

 VIII, pp. 1-23; W. J. Spillman, "Adjustment of the Texas Boundary in 1850," in Quarterly of the Texas 

 State Historical Association, Vol. VII, No. 3, pp. 177-195. 



3 Early Day Letters from Atiraria {now Denver) Written by Libcus Barney to the Bennington Banner, 

 Benniwiton, Vermont, i8s9-i86o (n. d.). 



♦ F. L. Paxson, "The Public Archives of the State of Colorado," in Annual Report of tJie American 

 Historical Association for the Year igoj. Vol. I, pp. 415-437. 



