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The Princeton Faculty, on Friday, rescinded the rule by which the Princeton nine was forbidden to play with professionals. This action leaves Harvard alone in her position in regard to the matter. Now that Princeton, after a trial of the new method, has deliberately decided to return to the old system, it is not probable that any other college will be induced to follow Harvard's example. While there was a good prospect of the anti-professional rule becoming general, we were willing to put up with a good deal of temporary inconvenience in order to bring about the accomplishment of that result. We have always insisted that professional influences ought to be kept out of amateur athletics as far as possible. But there is such a thing as carrying the policy of exclusion too far. For Harvard to insist upon this policy after it has been abandoned by all other colleges is simply to invite defeat for her teams at the hands of the teams of other colleges; and continued defeat: will not be apt to make popular the policy which causes that defeat.

The anti-professional rule has been given a fair trial here, and thus far no good reason has appeared to justify its existence, much less to warrant its further continuance. Wherein the influence of the nines that have thus far played in Cambridge, is any better than that of professionals, would be a hard question to answer. We certainly do not get as good practice from them as we should from professional teams, and every other nine in the college league has the benefit of professional practice. Under these circumstances we hope the faculty will see fit to consider carefully the question of rescinding a rule which places our athletic interests at a manifest disadvantage, and which thus far has resulted in no apparent good.