New-York tribune., 1912-04-17
IsIDOR STRAUS.

Isidor Straus, the eldest son Of Lazarus
Straus. was born in Rhenish Bavaria on
February g. 1916. At the age Of sixteen he
enlisted in company Of Confederate vol
unteers and was chosen a lieutenant, but
the Confederate government refused 10 ac-
cent him on account OF his age. His first
employment was a clerkship in a papef
mill I'm Columbus but he soon afterward
entered his fathers store as clerk. Two
years later he went to Europe as secretary
for John T. Ward. of Savannah. whom the
Confederacy he'd dispatched abroad 10 pur-
chase supplies for thu army. In 1861 Mr..
Straus for a while was . clerk IN the Office
Of ship owner in Liverpool. In 1855 he
ioined his father in New York city t.
engage in the crockery business Of l.. StraiIs
e. Son.
In 1874 this firm enlarsed its operations
by taking charge Of a glassware and china
department which r. H. Macy 60. had
opened in their 18th street store This vent
ure met with success. and resulted in 1855
I'm Mr.. straus and his brother, Nathan, be
coming members OF r. II. Macy & Co. Of
New York. with Charles b Webster as the
senior partner. Under the new manage
ment the various departments of the 18th
street store were multiplied.
Mr. straus was a man Of extended read
ing on economic subjects He was a mem
Der Of the committee OF fifty importers from
the city Of New York VINO went TO Wash
ington in June. 1850. to protest against the
| passaSe, Of the Mckinley bill Mr.. Carlisle
then a Senator and later Secretary of the
Treasury. declared that the speech OF Mr.
StraUs was the best made by an opponent
Of the Mckinley bill. When the silver agi-
tation was in progress he addressed the
| Coinage Committee OF the House In favor
OF a sound currency
| A member Of the original Worlds Fair
| Commission in New York and Of the Con-
mittee Of One Hundred. which rad charge
Of the local Columbian celebration of lsD
! he was also a member Of the Hudson River
Bridge Commission from the beginning
/ For his active part IN the campaign OF
| 1892 in behalf Of Mr.. Cleveland he was
| prominently named for the place OF Post
master General. a place, however, for which
he had no aspirations. He was led finally,
| I'm 1880. owing 10 the fight on the Wilson
tariff bill. which was then at its hottest
being an ardent tariff reformar. to accept
a nomination at the special election in jan
uary, 1894. for member of Congress from
the 18th District Of New York. and, after
| a hotly contested campaign. was elected.
In 1892 Mr.. Straus became a partner IN
the drygoods house Of Abraham & Straus,
| in Brooklyn. lie retained his interest In /.
Straus & Sons, and was a member OF the
| Chamber of Commerce and president or the
| Pottery and Glassware Board OF Trade.
! MIR. Straus was one OF New Iork's lead
| ing phiianthropists. The Educational All
ance. known as the Peoples Palace, OF
the congested East Side tenement house
district of which he was president Is
monument to his treless interest In the
field of sociological reform lie was di-
rector in several charitable organizations.
regardless OF creed. He had recently Deen
active as supporter OF eX-President Roose-
welt. who appointed him Secretary OF the
Department OF Commerce and Labor.
He was a director in the Hanover Ma
tional Bank and the New York County
! National Sank. vce-president of the Blk
beck Investment, Savings and Loan Com
psny, and a member cf the Manhattan
Reform. Commonwealth. Nineteenth Cen
| tury and Free Trade clubs.