Year: 1875

in the Balance.


The principal reason advanced by Yale for
Withdrawing from the Rowing Association of
American Colleges is that so many smaller
colleges have forced the management into
inexperienced hands. But have the latter
aught else to do than study the last
three races and try to do as well2
1t will hardly be questioned that for
the last three years Yale has had promi-
nent if not controlling voice in the manage
ment Of the regatta, and yet it was delayed
in 1873 from four o'clock till dusk, and with
out shadow Of good reason. The next year
it took three whole days to get it of, and
last summer the crews were exposed o whole
hour under broiling sun before they were
let 60. Does she say that this was
the fault Of the smaller colleges? Is
it not the fact that during her four years in
the association she was in last the first year,
a winner the second, sent to the rear Of the
fleet the third and only fifth the last time?
Is it not the fact that this is her present Cap
tains last year that he sees that it is
simply idle to hope to win next season over
the crews now in the field that he knows
that Harvard will have then only her this
years Freshman crew, and that if he can get
this crew off by itself he can probably beat
it; that, to make this all the surer, he chal-
lenges them to row, not three miles-itself
too far for 80 young lot-but four miles,
longer distance than any American college
crew ever in this country before attempted
Vel ha4 al Nd
knew nothing but defeat when, after
twice winning she was again beaten
five successive times, but still walked
bravely up to the danger and took
her chance, every Yale man living, and
every American, too, might well feel proud.
But is there anything especially creditable
in her withdrawing now when her enemies
is more formidable than ever when one, if
not more, of the great British universities
are likely for the first time to meet us on our
own waters, and when no better reason
can be offered than the fear that her
younger rivals cannot manage the regatta
well? To be sure, her offer to row the win
ner looks magnanimous. But does it not
require just the least speck of assurance to
talk about rowing the winner when the best
you can show yourself is fifth rate crew
Wo1ld it not be quite as modest to row the
three intermediate crews first?


But, while Yale possibly has the right to
withdraw-for she has, however justly, ac-
tually scored one victory-that right does not
exist for Harvard. Though she may devoutly
believe that that victory was hers, not Yale's,
she has never yet, since entering the associa-
ton, except for an hour or two in 1878, been
officially declared the victor. There is
Just one way for her to get out of
the association, and that is to row out
ahead. If it takes but one year all well,
but if it takes o hundred she must stay in
or go out disgraced. Turning away from an
enemy because he is too dangerous often
brings courts.martial in military affairs, and
it will hardly prove less disastrous to Har-
wards fair name now. But indeed, this
whole business of backing down or doing
anything which looks like backing down
for, call it what she likes, that is what it
really isis something entirely new to her.
No matter who the enemy in the old days
whether Yale or the Biglins, or ST. John
or the Wards, or Oxford or Cambridge
it was all the same to her-at them she
went and fought them over every inch
of the course till across the finish line, and
respect her they had to. The word now is
that she hesitates. This is bad enough, but
if she wants to make every one of her thou
sands of graduates and friends again proud


L Il.
and reject with scorn any terms of separation
but the unconditional surrender of every
enemy in the field.