The "Nation."

The following editorial, which appeared in the last Nation, needs no comment:

"The Harvard Overseers have fallen into the pit of compromise on the subject of intercollegiate athletic contests.

Instead of frankly following up the principle of action indicated by the admitted evils, and expressed in the report of the large majority of its committee, they have adopted the minority report, but with modifications which make it even more unpalatable to the undergraduates. They recommend confining the contests to university teams and virtually to New England colleges, saying that such contests "should take place only in Cambridge, New Haven, and such other New England city or town as the committee on athletics may from time to time designate." Moreover, the time for holding them should be only Saturdays and holidays. The CRIMSON, in a very outspoken article, calls this a monstrous proposition, of which the practical result will be the abolition of the contests sought to be regulated. And, indeed, it is self-evident that, in taking Harvard out of the league, defeat is invited in any encounter (except boating) with Yale, for want of the same discipline against first-rate antagonists; and regular defeat means discouragement and disgust for the loser. Nor, we suppose, is it certain that, under the new conditions, Yale would condescend to play with Harvard at all, while to be shut up to the minor New England colleges would be intolerable to Harvard. The Overseers are therefore accused of seeking indirectly the end which they affect to repudiate. The CRIMSON hints at rebellion; but most significant is its remark that "such a radical change in the whole athletic system would, we firmly believe, put the axe to the roots of our social system as well." No observer of the relation between "society," wealth, and extravagance and athletics at Harvard can doubt the truth of this.