The University Magazine, the representative of the University of Pennsylvania, has printed an editorial trying to sustain the action of their boat club in issuing the general challenge which recently has been so generally condemned. It takes the HERALD-CRIMSON particularly to task and advises us to read the editorials of two Philadelphia papers, in articles which have supported them, we believe, as a local institution, without giving any sound reasons for so doing. The Philadelphia Evening News says of the Pennsylvanians; "They have met and defeated all the other prominent oarsmen." However this may be with regard to four oared crews, it is certainly not the truth about their eight. They were beaten last spring, by Columbia, the only other prominent college which has an eight, at their own distance and at a time when the latter crew were only half in condition for their race with us. The result of the Harvard-Columbia race is well known. This refutes any claim to any previous superiority in eights to which Pennsylvania can lay claim. To the little of champion Harvard does not aspire, being contented with her annual races with Yale and Columbia. It is evident that Pennsylvania has no just claim to that honor. The Magazine takes no pains to refute the statements and editorials published in most of the daily and sporting papers outside of Philadelphia. Until it has done so satisfactorily we shall not believe that the outside world is sustaining them in their action.

Another objectionable feature of their challenge which has hitherto escaped notice is its decided professional tinge. Like any common sporting man in quest of "glory" and money they have issued a general challenge with a time limit, contrary to the custom of all college procedure in cases where championship races have been planned. It is on this ground that the New York Clipper, the most professional of all sporting papers, sustains their action. It says that "In the event of no acceptor appearing, sporting law and custom, meaning the code practised by professional oarsmen, will uphold them." To resort to professional methods for obtaining a title seems very objectionable; to resort to the same means to make a race, which could be obtained, if at all, by the usual methods known to collegians, seems the worst possible taste. While every effort is being made at present to illuminate the objectionable professional taint from college athletics, for Pennsylvania to make a move in the opposite direction is a blot on her reputation which she should hasten to wipe out by withdrawing her manifesto.

In the policy of leaving this general challenge alone we can only say that such a challenge calls for an affirmative answer and that our college is unprepared to give, having already declined to row Pennsylvania upon a specific challenge. Finally, in the whole matter we are defended in our position not only by the opinion of most of the leading outside papers but also by that expressed by the Yale News and prominent boating men at Columbia.