to say it, there are many who refuse to take it, be
cause forsooth, "all the news is stale, and there is
nothing else interesting in it." It will be the
realization of our fondest dreams, if we can do
away with such complaining.
With this short preface, we commit the LANCE
to the hands of its readers. We hope they will
overlook the shortcomings of this our maiden at•
tempt. We will profit by experience the next
time and avoid them.
ANTL must apologize for the lateness of the
LANCE this month. Being the first issue
of new staff, the machinery is run
ning a little rough yet. The chief cause, however,
is the fact that vacation came in just at the time
when the LANCE should have been sent to press,
and we had to wait till it was over to collect the
matter. Then too it is hard to get down into the
rut again, and so, for one reason or another, the
publication has been delayed a week. We will en
deavor in the future to have it out in time.
I'P may r,ot appear seemly to start begging here
in our first issue, but we wish to say plainly
that the LANCE is very much in need of sub
scribers and financial assistance in other ways.
It is true that we have realized quite a handsome
sum from our course of lectures, and we take this
this opportunity for thanking our many patrons
for the interest they have shown and the assur
ance they have given us for renewed effort. But
this sum is not near sufficient to pay off the load
of debt which hangs over the LANCE. The reve
nue from subsCriptions and advertisements is bare
ly sufficient to pay the actual cost of printing.
If the Alumni•and undergraduates wish us to
get out a good publication, one that will be a cred
it to the college, they will have to give.it much
better support than they have heretofore.
If, as several of the Alumni have complained, there
is not enough alumni news let them bestir them
selves and help us get such news. At the head of •
THE FREE LANCE.
* *
these columns, they will see in every issue an urg
ent request for news and communications from the
Alumni themselves.
But even if the Alumni do not patronize the
LANCE as they should, there is no excuse for the
undergraduates. We know of numbers of men in
the lower classes and the preparatory . department,
especially the latter, who though fully able financi
ally, absolutely refuse to subscribe. This condi
tion of affairs should never exist. Every man
ought to have at least sufficient patriotism to sub
scribe to his college paper. It is just as much an
object for pride and loyalty as our football or
track teams. In fact, it is almost more so. For
to it and its brother, the college annual, does the
intelligent man of the world turn to gauge the stu
dents of the institution. He is - not apt to judge
by our athletic victories, however brilliant, if he
is sending a son here to get an education.
It is true that the new management promises to
economize at every point and to try to reduce the
expense as much as possible, but it needs assistance
from the Alumni and a hearty co-operation from
the students before any considerable improvement
can be made.
THE action of the University of Pennsylvania
on the now famous Yale rule has been at
tracting a great deal of attention lately.
She has evidently decided to take her stand firm
ly on the principles enunciated by her at the foot
ball meeting in New York. No matter whether we
agree with her or not, we cannot help admiring
her courage in standing out against such apparently
great odds. She is willing to cut loose from all
her old ties and associations rather than acknowl
edge that her position is wrong. It was no more
than consistent that she should withdraw from the
Pa. Intercollegiate Athletic Association when
they passed over her head a similar amendment to
the constitution, and when she followed the same
course in the new Pa. Intercollegiate Oratorical
Union because they embodied a clause in their