As will be seen by an item in another column, the Union has undertaken a canvass of the college on the preferences for Presidential candidates. While the result of a canvass of this sort cannot fail to be of interest as showing the relative personal popularity of the different candidates, it will indicate only in a very slight degree the political bias of the students. We think that most Harvard men vote more for principles than for men. Therefore the votes of most students will be determined largely by the actions of the two parties between this time and the time of the election.

The question of the tariff is of most interest at present to college men and will have much more influence with them than the personal qualifications of the candidates or the past record of parties. This being the case, the tariff legislation in Congress this spring and the stand taken by the different party conventions will do much to decide the votes of Harvard men. This being the case, we should advise the Union in its canvass, not only to note the favorite candidates, but also the stand taken by each man on the all important questions of protection and free trade. The result of such a canvass would be of more value than one based merely on the personal popularity of the candidates before the country.