The sun., 1897-08-17
MIsMhSAoED ENrERPRIsB.


rassment by his real ana preVehoou - -,
he has himself also to blame Tor situatlon
which must be altogether distressing W 'no
President OF great university.
When he was offered a nomination for Mayor
by the Citizens Union committee he responded
that he was ready to take It II hc could be "A
unifying force among tho friends or good gov
ornmcnt." That is, he docs not want to run
simply for the sake OF running. but only IL no
represents the united opposition to Tammahy
Hall; and his candidacy, therefore, Is OF serious
consequence. lie Is q man OF practical sense
and of political experience; and, moreover. no
now holds post of great dignity, whose obiign-
tions and proprieties he must scrupulously re-
gard. Somo men could afford to go into
Quixotio canvass for hobby like that Of mon
partisanship," even with defeat as a foregone
conclusions; but Mr.. Low Is not one OF these.
He ia the President OF Columbia University,
and it's consequence as the foremost seat Of
learning in New York is represented by him.
1t is n place OF honor and eminonce, and the
man holding 1t is bound in duty and dcconcy to
avoid all conduct tending to bring reproach on
the university or which Is inconsistent or
incongruous with the office he holds in It,
Mr.. Low cannot afford to run unless tho con-
dition laid down by him in tho beginning shall
be satisfied In verify unless 1t is demonstrated
that he is actually "a unifyinR force among
tno trlenuB OF good government.
During nearly the whole OF the summer since
Mr.. Low wrote the letter imposing that very
reasonable condition. he has boon far away on
the Island of Mount Desert, of the coast Of
Maine. and he is there yet. He cannot there-
fore be held directly responsible for the methods
adopted by his friends and agents in tho ex-
traordinary canvass which they have been con-
Quoting in his behalf during his absence; but
neither can ho have been wholly ignorant Of
those methods. They could not have been con-
ceived and pursued without bis tacit consent
At least, he has permitted them without protest;
they could not have continued II he had dis
countenanced them. Hence Mr.. Low must now
be annoyed exceedingly by tho complete failure
Of that canvass to demonstrate that he 10 in
truth the "unifying force"
The results. however. are exactly those which.
as man OF political experience. he should have
foreseen as inevitable. His friends and agents
took a course which was SO sure to prevent tho
unifcation that it might be supposed that he
was the victim Of troachery. Instead of seeking
to produce tho harmony requisite to make his
nomination other than a mere empty compli-
ment. they set about to divide tho opposition to
Tammany and Bryanism. AS candidate really
representing that united sentiment, he would
have occupied a position before the people Of
New York and OF the Union entirely consistent
with the dignity of his Office as the President of
a great school of learning and enlightenment.
AS candidate Of special Low faction he would
become contemplate. His agents used their
first efforts to bury tho very issue which
Justified the entrance OF President of
university into the campaign, and to substi.
tute for 1t issues Of petty Importance COM
paratively. They also kept aloof sedulously
from the political organization without whose
cordial support, first Of ALL tho unification de-
sired by Mr.. Low was impossible. They made
terms with all sorts and conditions of political
eccentricity. the Socialists, tho Labor people,
and the rest, but they took pains to announce
emphatically that they would refuse to como to
any understanding with the Republican party.
which especially represented tho political and
social principle which alone can be successful
against Tammany and Bryanism. Their most
active newspaper supporters assailed and in
suited that organization. Thus its union with
them was made impossible. Tho Low move-
ment was thus directed squarely and obstinately
against the very forces upon which it depended
for consequence as q political demonstration.
Now. accordingly. when tho summer is draw
Ing 10 a close and Mr.. Low is preparing to re-
turn to New York from Northeast Harbor he
finds that, 80 far from being "a unifying force"
he has been proved to be tho cause of ire
parable disunion. Tho dignity of his office re-
quired that his candidacy should be in response
to the cordial demand of the united opposition
to Bryanism. but instead he sees only discord,
and that II he is to be a candidate at all he has
been doomed 10 run to certain and discreditable
defeat AS the candidate Of a faction of political
malcontents against the Republican party as
whole. or course. that means humiliation for
himself and for the university he represents.
Tho unconcealed purpose of Mr.. Lows agents
In their insulting attitude to tho Republican
organization was to generate among its emo
mics 30 powerful q movement in his behalf that
Tor very self-preservation 1t would have to sur
render to them by ratifying his nomination.
All along their Newspaper supporters have taken
that ground. They have exulted over the "hole"
into which tho Republican party would be put
by the Low movement
Mr.. Low is a gentleman. and am surprised
that he should have permitted tho upstarts and
malicious politicians OF the Citizens Union to
trife thus with his reputation and mako him
appear to the public man 80 eager for q
nomination that he was determined to
force 1t by hook or by crook. He mu st have been
kept in ignorance of what was occurring in
New York. The trick, too. was bad poll
tics. Tho Republican organization was put
on the defensive. and Mr. Lows nomination by
1t was made impossible. For very self.preser.
vation 1t must reject a candidate forced on 1t by
enemies seeking through him to compass its de-
struction. Just now, too. tho welfare of tho Re-
publican party is OF prime concern with all con.
servattve men. and such an effort to break It up
can find no favor In quarters whose respect and
confidence are most essential to Mr.. Seth Low
and to Columbia College.
The Low movement has been q wretchodly
msmanaged enterprise. II those in charge of
1t had been inspired by pure malignity against
Mr.. Low, they could not have done a worse in
jury to his reputation. MANHATTAN.
NEW YORK, Aug. 10.
Staten Island Opinion About judge Rartiett.
From the Richmond CouHfv Herald
This year the term OF Willard Bartlett as n Justoa
OF the Supreme Court for the Second Judicial
I.Ira md nlrrad.. 4ha