The New York herald., 1875-12-24
THE COLLEGE REGATTA.
YALEs WITHDRAWAL PROM TUE ROWING Asso-
cIATInS-THE VIEWS OF A PROMINENT ANA
arsup 0ApanxAN


Since the announcement that tho Yalc Navy had re-
solved to withdraw from the College Rowing Assoca-
tion has been the subject OF much discussion among
the boating of the city, and various opinions have
been expressed pro and con- In addition TO the yiows
already published the appended interview with prom
inent amateur oarsman Of New York will bo found OF
interest II will DO noted that this gentleman is in
clincd to think that Yale Is justified in taking tho
sho has and when II Is stated that he is not
graduate ofhat university and familiar in every de-
tail with American college rowing II will be understood
that he is entirely unbiased in his opinions The con-
versation foows;-
'You have, or course seen the announcement Of the
withdrawal Of Yale from the College Rowing Associa-
tom"
eyes, observed II in the HRRALD the morning fol-
lowing the meeting OF tho Navy"
"Do you think they wero justified In this actionSn
81 hardly reply either negatively a1rmatively
to such question II seems TO me that altogether too
much capital Is made of the doings OF college clubs
and Yale has been pushed forward very uncercmoni-
ously, In my opinion for several years. and received
the brun OF good deal OF harsh talk and unjust critl
cism Ono thing positive Yalo any other club
has perfect right TO withdraw from any assoca-
ton they nt when they desire, and the New Ha-
ven gentlemen must have found weghty reason
induce tho whole Navy to vote unanimously favor
OF resignng its membership Tho withdrawal of sew
era all OF the Eastern colleges has been threatened
for some tmo and Yale has taken nltiatory step
which think will be followed by Harvard, and posi-
bly, in that event. by others This gather from an ar
tice in the Advocate college paperb which Is
stated editoriay:-
"But when 1t can be shown that Harvard has many
credable reasons for taking this step withdrawing
from tho Rowing Assoctation) that she Ia situated
as to be placed above all apprehension as regards
caumny and SANDER and that she is 10 row in company
vii all
three OF which have already while in the
ciaon there hardly any ground supporters OF the
movement say for fearing that the proposed secession
will suly Harvards honor
"Tho colleges thus reiorred TO are Yale, Columbia
and Princeton, who all mentioned as Seeding
institutions From this it appears that Yale rather
unfortunate in being the first to publicly take the step
and thus receive unwarranted share OF abuse which,
II at all deserved should fall alike this neapng up
OF consuro may tho others to renqush their
intention and thus place Yale In very bad plight
There is but little doubt but that tho Rowing Assoca-
tion of American Colleges has been going from bad
TO worse aud that II has been rcsored to- in opin-
ion, as purely an advertising medium by the faculties
OF several colleges that previously almost un-
known. I know that Yale and Harvard objected TO
thus being dragged into the advertising business,
they were placed at disadvantage with several OF
their rivals Some of tho allowed to take
! any time they wanted from their studies and
oxcusod almost entirely from college duties for
! the purpose of fitting themselves for the
! last summer Several other irregularities occurred
1
of the Boston Advertiser (Novomber 3o, you will find
a letter written by Mr. Chandler graduate OF Williams
4 College, who ! presume, knows what he rs talking
about when he says:-'It would desirable 10 state
plainly that last year Amherst Cornell aud Columbia
were improperly Observation-Disclosures, because two
members of their crew, M. A. Goodnow aud S. K
/ Johnston not studying for any degree; Coum-
l bia, because G NJ. Hammond was not studying for any
degree; Cornell because not single man allowed to
row except j. ~ Ostrom who Is TO bo an engineer
was studying for degree. or those allowed 10 row,
King was studying for a degree architecture Jarvis
i In attn Il
\ literature Waterman in mechanic arts
mot only has this occurred but we'll known pro-
fessional OF this city told that he had boon
solicited to coach college mot Of those
toned by Mr. Chander and he being unable TO attend
to the another professional secured and he
was present with the crow in question at Saratoga
With OF these colleges II would that honor
Those facts pretty we'll known among college
men, and doubtless had something to do with the
secession movement As far as Yale is concerned do
not think that they have done anything which should
elicit such general condemnation. They had right 10
because they had not won either last
Is gratuitous insult 10 college which mas as Tar as
competitors In 1874 they were put out Of the race by
foul and il Is the opinion Of many good judges
that theirs was the winning crew Again. last summer
they were hampcred to great extent in their
training whilo a Saratoga and yet mado good race OF
il, finishing close up with the third shell and only
! few lengths behind the winners, who were credited
with two Of that distance In fact tho next four boats
\ dnshed without any clear water between them. 60
much for tho record Of Yale their victory 1879
Evon II they had last summer tho charge OF
being afraid to meet the other college crews would hold
equally we'll and | think that cowardice ls tho last
thing that can be laid the door OF tho Yale Navy,
who year ater year defeat has always returned
\ the charges when the chance OF victory was
4 simply orlorn hope.
\ s.You havo seen the expressions or opinion by
graduates OF Columbia and Princeton, already pub
lshed to the which prompted lale's with.
drawaI, what do you think OF them"
eyes and hold they were entirely uncacd for.
If the Harvard Adrocdts Is correct regarding the
scccders, which think il must be- the gentlemen who
thus expressed opinions violently were little behind
the times Certainly. !, Princeton naa Withdrawn !
and question If any Yale graduate would havo so for
gotten himself to use Ike expressions as are cred
tied to tho Princeton gentleman"
s'In your opinion how viii tho action Of Yale and
the other colleges referred TO- 4 they also withdraw,
Il Affect the College Association
"That remains to be seen. III tho others do not
sccede the association will undoubtedly hold regatta
i as usual II thoy withdraw, think II viii virtually
break up the organization"
manned the association this year. rowed the race Of
1876 and then retired II N saw ntY"
n do not think ii would have made much difference
either way II they did not win in 1876 which Of Itself
highly problom9tical against such number OF COM
pctitors they would then be IN worse position to re-
tire than now supposng of course that in their pres
ent action they wrong. II they were victorious u
would DC equally plausible to say They were afraid oil
meeting the other colleges 1871 II makes no differ
ence al all TAR as can The whole matter cen
tres here-Has Yale or has II not right TO withdraw
I from the association or, " the outside public say
+ row, must waive personal feelings aud opinions
aud bow TO outsiders 7 And in answer TO this say
the members Of its Navy tho solo Judges OF what
they should should not do and wo, the outside pub
lie have no right to try and control their actions As
far as have observed the main feature or the college
regatta is the meeting OF Harvard and Yale Every
thing 4 subseryient 10 this. and think spccta-
tors would go TO them row than TO race without
them"
i "Do you think that Harvard is likely 70 withdraw
! from tho associatlonN
s'Harvard men know more about that than lido.
boIieye they will however the college journals
decidedly IN favor OF This Is what the Advocate or
December IL says
We are decidedly opinion that the time has arrived
for Harvard vndcato her Independence and TO show by
withdrawing from tile association that questions affecting
her dignity NIL her relations
other colleges Whether Yale and other colleges will join
IN withdrawing secondary question, whoh II s time
enouch for US to answer whom have decided
that il Is proper for to withdraw. We may
bo insured that Harvard will have to seek
for rivals equally confident shat. after the dis
graceful undgnned oveFtures which made TO Har
ward last summer her graduates and undsrg will