If you repeat a falsehood often enough — even an accidental one — people will start to believe it’s true. The problem is greatly exacerbated in the electronic age, when an error can be multiplied so extensively that even reasonably thorough research can seem to confirm its truth.

Once discovered, though, the mistake must be corrected.

That could mean a change for the veterans monument outside the Deschutes County Courthouse.

As Bulletin reporter Scott Hammers wrote Monday, George Washington may never have uttered the words attributed to him on the monument, which was dedicated in 2005. Nevertheless, the words have been linked to his name in several books, in the Congressional Record and in campaign speeches by Sen. John McCain.

The quote reads: “The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional as to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation.” It was originally suggested for the monument by local veterans who sought clearance to build the monument.

Hammers consulted Edward Lengel, a professor at the University of Virginia who has written and edited books about Washington and is working on preserving all of his writings. Lengel said there’s no evidence Washington ever said the words, and it’s not clear who did or how they came to be associated with the nation’s first president.

Deschutes County Administrator Tom Anderson said the Deschutes County Commission agreed Monday with a staff recommendation to talk with the veteran’s groups before deciding on next steps.

If further investigation confirms Lengel’s view, the monument will need to be changed, with either the quote or the attribution — or both — replaced.

But there’s also a cautionary tale here for all of us. Even when we find multiple sources that appear to confirm something, it’s possible they all come from a single earlier error, multiplied and multiplied by instant electronic duplication. We have a world of “facts” at our fingertips, but it takes deeper digging to be sure they really are facts.