It has generally been the custom of the members of the editorial boards of college journals to manifest towards the institutions of sister colleges the respect which courtesy, if nothing else, demands. In addition, it has been the custom that whatever may have been the success of the efforts of the students of sister colleges in the various branches of college life, to give credit at least for sincerity of purpose. A breach of this rule has recently been made by the edition of a college publication, namely, the Columbia Spectator-a breach so glaring as to demand our attention.

Under the head of "Wah! Wah! Wah! Harvard," is published in the last number of the Spectator, a piece of writing remarkable for its unprecedented character, in that it is a discourteous, ignorant, and even vulgar attack upon Harvard methods in athletics. Worse than the sneer at Harvard's ill-success of the last three years, is the implied accusation of insincerity on the part of the of the leaders in athletics. We do not wish further to characterize the article in question. Harvard men may read it for themselves.

We must give our opinion, however, that the attitude of Columbia towards Harvard is not correctly indicated by the Spectator. We should be very sorry to think that the student-body of Columbia had become actuated by so discreditable a feeling of spite. We desire to suggest to the editors of the Spectator that simple justice demands an apology for the appearance of such an article. We suggest, finally, for the edification of the Spectator, that the value of criticism lies in manliness and straightforwardness of utterances; not in power to work injury by a sneering laugh.