THE COLLEGE LEAGUE.

The question of dissolving the present college base-ball league, and of forming from the colleges that compose it, together with Williams and perhaps one or two other institutions, two separate and smaller leagues, is assuming a position of importance before the college world, and is becoming the chief topic of discussion at the colleges interested. For the purpose of exhibiting as truthfully as possible the real status of opinion on the question at the present time among the several colleges, we present below letters upon the subject from several colleges, and from the others we present the editorial opinions of the representative paper of each college.

AMHERST.AMHERST, MASS., Dec. 18, 1882.

EDITORS HARVARD HERALD: In response to your inquiry as to the feeling at Amherst in regard to the proposed change in the Inter-Collegiate Base-Ball League, allow me to say that Amherst is not only unanimously opposed to any such change, but would consider it an injustice if measures were taken to remove her from the association, especially at this late date, after a considerable sum has been expended upon the nine in expectation of putting a first-class team in the field next spring.

B.While the above undoubtedly represents the tone of sentiment at Amherst at present, the report which has recently appeared in the public press that the faculty at Amherst has forbidden the students to engage in any inter-collegiate contests whatever, if true, lends a new aspect to the question, and will, at least, necessitate Amherst's withdrawal from the present league.

DARTMOUTH.HANOVER, N. H., Dec. 15, 1882.

A report is being circulated throughout the college press that Dartmouth approves of the measure now being agitated in regard to the division of the present base-ball league into two - one composed of Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Brown - the other of Dartmouth, Amherst and Williams. This is a mistake, and should be corrected. It is the prevalent opinion here that the warm advocacy of this measure comes with but ill grace from the college whose nine has suffered defeat at the hands of Dartmouth in four out of the six contests in which the two have been engaged. It is doubtless true that Dartmouth will make no violent opposition to the proposition, choosing rather to submit quietly to a manifest injustice than to obtain the unenviable reputation of obstinacy and grumbling. It is certainly true that should the division be attempted she will decline to enter the smaller league, and content herself with playing such individual games as may be arranged, in which success is by no means doubtful, owing to the strong material she now possesses from which an excellent nine can easily be selected.

W. B. P.PRINCETON.PRINCETON, N. J., Dec. 14, 1882.

The opinion at Princeton concerning the advisability of retaining Amherst and Dartmouth in the base-ball league is not yet decidedly formed. The general tendency is however toward reducing the number of nines in the league. Of course if it is advisable to take such action, Amherst, Dartmouth and Brown are the least desirable members of the league. The editorial in the Yale News upon the subject was an amusing one. The position taken seeming to be that Yale would not stand by and see Amherst abused; and the impression given was that Yale's authority in the matter was supreme.

The position of Princeton in the whole matter is as yet to be officially announced, but to the minds of most of the students, especially the base-ball men, the arguments in favor of a reduction of the number of colleges in the league seem very strong. The feeling as to how many should be excluded is various; some few would say one, the majority think two should withdraw, while a respectable minority think that a league composed of Yale, Harvard and Princeton is by far the best arrangement, both for base-ball and foot-ball.

K.Harvard, we think, agrees with all of the above except with the proposition to exclude Brown from the proposed new league of the larger colleges. It would be a measure of doubtful expediency.

YALE.The stand taken by the Courant is eminently sensible, and its statement of the reasons for the proposed move are, we think, the best yet made. It hopes that owing to the fact that considerable money has already been expended at Amherst and Dartmouth for next year's nines, the usual games will be played with those colleges this year. "It is thought," it says, "that by restricting the league to Harvard, Brown, Princeton and Yale, much more interesting and well-attended games will result. And if each nine plays a series of three games with each other nine, one on home grounds, one on their opponents', and one in New York, it is highly probable that base-ball at Yale at least would be made self-supporting. This is the true ground of objecting to games with Dartmouth and Amherst. Without them we can have better and more interesting games, and can obtain them at greatly reduced expense. There is a strong tendency at present to curtail college expenditures for athletics, and this seems a good plan to assist it. It is no argument at all to say that the mere fact that a nine fails to win victories is a reason for excluding it from the league. Some nine must always be at the foot of the list. But with all respect for Dartmouth and Amherst, it is a patent fact to any Yale man, that games with them fail to be as interesting as those with more formidable rivals, even when they beat us, as Dartmouth did recently, the event is looked at in its bearing upon our winning the championship, and not at all with that feeling of chagrin which must always accompany our defeat at the hands of more prominent opponents." All of which we think will apply equally well to Harvard's case. At

WILLIAMSThe Argo favors the scheme. "To us," it says, "this division of forces and reformation of associations, seems eminently practicable and desirable. In the first place the old scheme would make the membership of the league too great for a large or advantageous series of games between the different nines, and in the second place, such a game as Williams would play with a nine which stands any chance for the championship would be neither as profitable nor interesting as one with a nine more nearly her equal in strength."

No decided expression of opinion has yet come from Brown on the question. It is hoped that she will favor the move however. It will be seen from the above that although definite sentiments have not as yet been generally formed, a tendency to favor the move as an advisable reform is apparent. The question deserves careful consideration. Interference with the right of any party will not be countenanced, we believe, and yet the best interests of the majority cannot justly be made to suffer to favor the wishes of the few.