The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-27
Mr.. Low as He IL.

The attendant of the high Mugwump
shrine in New England, the Boston Herald,
chants the cults new hymn and chal-
lenges a little reflection when 1t says hat
"SETH Low has backbone"
No doubt; but it's extraordinary fexi.
bility is shown by most of Mr.. Lows public
or semi-public performances. AS is usual
in the case of an individual who becomes
the centre of emotional adulation as pos.
sessed of the nobler qualities in an unap
proachably high degree. Mr.. Low is a
sinuous sort Of person, whose mind is con.
s~tantly occupied more with the polite
than with the right, and whose acts, in.
stead Of being perfectly straight, have usu.
ally q twist in them.
Mr.. Low let it be understood, when
accepting the trust of Columbia's Presi.
dency, that that honored place was his
career. Since then probably nine moments
out of ten of his thinking time have been
devoted to the political future to which
Columbia might help him..
When the supporters Of the Greater New
York were struggling to get the charter
adopted, Mr.. SETH Lows brother was siren
uously working against it in Brooklyn, and
Mr.. SETH Low stood in between the char.
ters friends and foes by urging the com.
promise of a referendum.
AS a member of the Charter Commission
Mr.. Low could not quite walk without a
wabble. We suppose no membe of that
Commission looked upon the charter as
perfect, yet the majority of them, includ-
ing the Hon. BENJAMIN F. TRACY, being
straightforward men, supported the char
ter loyalty with their signatures. 1t re-
manned for Mr.. Low and his queer old coun-
terpart, the Hon. WILLIAM L. STRONG, to
sign with qualifications, 30 that the full
weight of failure, IL failure was to be,
should not rest upon their shoulders.
When the Citizens Union asked Mr.. Low
to be it's candidate he executed a little
pirouette before their admiring eyes, and
said that his devotion to the cause de-
handed that the candidate be a unifying
force. Was he the unifying FORGET A little
later, when it was apparent that the bulk
Of the constituency to which Mr.. Low knew
that he would have to appeal, namely, the
Republican vote, would declare itself against
him, he saw that it was "now or never"
and accepted the nomination. He gave as an
excuse the petition in his favor, although
he knew as well as other men that 1t was
signed on the understanding that he would
not run as a disunifying force. He took
refuge, when accepting, in the " fear Of COP"
and in the "changed conditions" though
in what the situation was changed was not
explained. Mr.. Low did not have the back
bone to stand by his first words.
A storm wave swept along Mr.. Lows
backbone when he, as an avowed candidate
In politics. announced his intention to re-
sign from the Presidency of Columbia. Not
many days passed before Mr.. Low put his
conclusion to retire with the proviso, "if
the trustees should accept the resignation"
OF course that was as good as notice to
them that he does not want them to accept
his resignation. 1t will not be offered in
good faith. columbia should indicate that
Mr.. Low is not indispensable and that she
Is willing to part with him before the last
moment of absolute necessity, it would be
a blow to his canvass. Columbia becomes,
therefore, perforce, a factor in politics, with
Mr.. Low as a partner. OF course there is
not much chance that the dignity of the
university will be upheld by the trustees
as against the interests of Mr.. Lows am.
bition for public office. Mr.. Low has got
the trustees OF Columbia as he has got the
Citizens Union.
The boy who in his college life did not
display more genuine manliness and moral
stamina than the Hon. SETH Low would
be despised by his fellows. The new Mug
wump idol Is stuffed to bursting.