Every winter for the last three years the question whether the Harvard freshmen shall row a race with the Yale freshmen has been discussed. The challenge sent from Yale a few days ago to the captain of the Harvard freshman crew brings this question once more before the college. The uncertainty as to whether three crews could row a fair race on the two-mile comse at New London, which has directed the policy of Harvard for the last two years, will have no influence on the question this winter, since the captain of the Yale crew refuses to row in a contest with two other boats. Consequently the question is narrowed down to this: Harvard must row Yale and Columbia in separate races, or she must decline Yale's challenge. As for rowing two races, the plan is out of the question. The expense of one race is all the freshman class ought to be burdened with. More than this, the strain of two races rowed within so short a time of each other, as these must necessarity be, would without doubt be hurtful to the men in the boat.

We hope the freshmen will give the question an open. fair discussion, for there are reasons why a race, as well as a base-ball and a foot-ball contest between the freshmen of the two colleges, is desirable. We are convinced, however, that when the question is looked at fairly, and even favorably, for a race with Yale, the objections are too weighty to admit of the contest. We therefore strongly urge the freshmen to decline the challenge.