Robert Cook, Yale's crack boating coach of many years standing, has been tendered a complimentary dinner by a large number of the sons of that college in recognition of his great services in many a boat race at which Yale was first at the finish. It is well, but we submit that the other gentlemen, professors and tutors, who have also done their best by the institution ought not to be discriminated against. Can any good reason be assigned why - for instance - the worthy occupant of Yale's chair of Moral Philosophy should not be invited by appreciative alumni to take something? True, it may be said that moral philosophy is a no-account study, while boating is an indispensable of the higher education. But to grant that this is so is not to admit that the professor of moral philosopy is not entitled to a complimentary dinner. It simply shows that he cannot justly claim as good a dinner as Mr. Cook can. If the boating dinner is in fourteen courses, the moral philosophy dinner perhaps could not properly go beyond six or seven.

And what is true of the professor of moral philosopy is doubtless true also of the professors of languages, mathematics, polite literature, chemistry and other subordinate subjects - subordinate to boating. They are far too sensible, far too proficient in the science of relative values, to expect a dinner given by the students in their honor to compare with this boating dinner. Expressed in a scholarly form, their conviction in the premises would be that boating is to all other studies as 14 is to 7. As for the Yale tutors, the chances are that those level-headed devotees of knowledge on learning that "Bob" Cook is to be given a dinner in fourteen courses will merely entertain the impression that when their turn comes they will be asked to a stand-up lunch or an early tea with ice cream and sponge cake passed around later in the evening. President Dwight, having had his dinner with the alumni, does come within the scope of the present discussion. We may remark, however, that it is the common belief the dinner was in thirteen courses.

The Tribune trusts that Mr. Cook will enjoy the feast that is to be spread for him, and which he so richly deserves. He and President Dwight have done much for Yale. But can the alumni draw the dinner line at those two without inviting a strike in the Yale faculty? - New York Tribune.