PRINCETON LETTER.

The result of the Harvard-Princeton debate, though not unexpected, occasioned serious thought as to why Princeton with her Halls, and her supposedly superior advantages, should have again suffered defeat in this branch of intercollegiate contests. The following caitorial, which appeared in the Princetonian after the debate, expresses fully and fittingly the sentiment of the college in general.

"Three defeats and one victory is Princeton's record after two years of intercollegiate debating. The record as it stands is such as to cause every man in the university who has at heart the good of Princeton a great deal of regret and serious thought. What the cause of the present state of affairs may be or whether or not there is any cause, we would not attempt to say without further deliberation and investigation, but we leave this question to the faculty, undergraduates, and alumni for solution. The fact forces itself disagreeably to our attention that Princeton has not taken the place which those of us who prided in our Halls had hoped she would take. We believe that the literary spirit is growing here, and that the Hall spirit is reviving; but not withstanding the few encouraging signs which we have noticed the last year, the fact is evident that we need a shaking up in debating. We can certainly never expect to do anything with our rivals unless the interest in speaking is much more general among all concerned in Princeton's advancement and prosperity.

"To the Harvard debaters we tender our congratulations. We admire and respect the institution whose representatives have never been defeated in this distinctly academic form of intercollegiate contests. No more gratifying prominence could be desired by any institution. Our wish is that Princeton may learn from Harvard's example and from her own defeat the secret of success in literary lines."

It has been decided to send a team to represent Princeton at the Olympic games to be held in Athens from April 5 to 15. The members of the team are Robert Garrett, Jr., '97, captain of this year's track team, who will compete in the shot-put, throwing the discuss, broad jump, and horizontal bar vault; A. C. Tyler '97, who will enter the pole vault; F. A. Lane '97, who will contest in the 100 metre dash; J. H. Colfelt '99, who will enter the four hundred metre race. The men will sail on Saturday for Naples. From Naples they go by water part of the distance and the remainder by rail to Athens. The team will be absent about five weeks, returning in time for the spring games with Yale. The result of this trip, especially if the men are successful in their respective events, will be to strengthen interest in Princeton and her track athletics and the whole venture is backed up strongly by undergraduate sentiment.

THE DAILY PRINCETONIAN.