The News complains that a recent article in the New York World gravely misrepresents the prevailing tone at Yale. The piece in question is but one sample of these elaborately fanciful tales of student life which are floating around in the papers. Yale happens to be the victim this time. Harvard's turn will come next; in fact, it is always Harvard's turn. Well known colleges are like public men; no story about them is so wildly absurd, that some journals will not print it, and many people believe it. And the bigger the lie is, the more eagerly it is spread.

This habit of defaming celebrated men, or institutions is but another example of our human liking for scandal. We are all very glad to hear something deliciously wicked about any prominent person, about Congress, about Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Harvard. It tickles us to learn that others are so depraved: for we seem righteous in comparison. And so long as people take delight in the sins of others, so long will newspapers continue to invent their pleasing little anecdotes about our iniquities. There is no help for it.

Yet it is soothing to note that few take the trouble to expose the fictitious corruption of our smaller, and less famed colleges. The public neither knows nor cares about these humbler institutions. So, on the whole, it is best to take any newspaper slander as a delicately concealed compliment to our importance. If the New York World tells entertaining fibs about Yale, it is merely the New York World's way of saying that Yale is powerful and renowned, and that people wish to know all they can about her. Harvard too has often been flattered in this manner. She and Yale can glow with common pride.