Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-09-18
LONG PUBLIC CAREER
OF SETH LOW CLOSES
Former Mayor Of New York and One
Time President of Columbia
University Is Dead.
HAD nEEN Ill SEVERAL MONTHS


known Throughout Country as One
OF Leading Figures in Life of Nc
tropoliS-DistinguiS in I'oliti-
cal and Educational Circles.
NEW rOR1. September l7.-Scth
Low. former A,..~r OF New York and
ouc-timc president Of Columbia Uni-
vcrsity. died late to-day at his country
home. Broadbrook Farm, Bedford Hills,
y. y, at the age OF siNty-siN years.
lie had bccn i'll for several months
Of complication Of diseases.
MIR. Lows most recent activities were
c1crtcd in an effort To ,iud solution
for tho differences between tho brother
hoods and the railroads lie had long
been consulted by heads Of tho brother
hoods. For three months prior TO his
illness. he devoted himself almost cX-
c.usively 10 trying L" tiud a solution
tc the differences between the railroad
l.: othcrhoods and their employers.
Even after he was stricken. he kept
IN touch with the brotherhood heads.
American Federation Of Labor, and
other union leaders with whom hc was
on terms OF intimate friendship.
Seth Low was twice Mayor nf Ero"k-
| lyn. once Mayor Of New Y,rk and for
eleven years was president nf Columbia
University. In each Of these offices ne
became distinguished for public ser
vice. and he VAS known throughout
he country as one Of the leading figures
in New York City life
FROM Long LINE
or MERCHANT PRINCES
,:"rn in Brookiyn. January IS, 1850.
ne came Of Il long Zine of merchant
princes and men Of culture. Ills grand
father. for whom he WAS named. was
! Il Harvard bred merchant. who. pre-
NiouS To his settlement in New York.
did rr' spcrrbs business in Salem.
Mass His father. ihicl \hbot Low,
founded hic h.Isiness in tho importa-
ton al tea ard silk in New York. and
at ono time hrd fleet Of more than
a dozen CLIPPER ships engaged in me
cEira trade
Young l.nN was educated :;t the Poly
tcch'ii' institute. in Eroot !yn, aud then
II toiumbta. f"om which he was grad
mated in $40. at the a,:c Of twenr:.
IN college hr fad been distinguished
both :s n stu,;cut aud al. athlete Hc
"Nreled in 'ennis and fo ih,: howlinr
ahG billiards, and on ~" a"idron he
often lined up against the hcrculcau
form Of Hamilton Fish I,r. BARNARD
the then president Of the coIlc::c was
particularly attracted by youn. Lows
work ana personality, and in the sprinl-
or Lows senior year. the president
! spoke thus Of him in a letter to :,
friend; u have just been having Z,
i"hG taik with young Low the first
scholar in college and the nst man.
/ y young fellow we have had here for
many year"
nEC0MEs i>TEHESrtD
IN PUBLIC III.E:
'i icaNinS Columbia, Mr.. Low went
10 his fathers business house. enter
ing as a clerk aud travcrsinS all the
GRADES until he was finally head Of the
hrm. In the meantime IL became
Src"'iE interested in public life. par
t''uiariy iu Brooklyn charities In
1919 le organized and became the first
president Of the BROOKLYN Burcau Of
CHARITIES, which was one of the frs,
societies organized for the nrnn,n,iop
Oh 'o-oreration and the prevention Of
waste and imposition in charity scr
| vice.
u was during the campaign of Gar.
! "c'h Tor President. in 1850. thai Mr.
| 10" hrs' became prominent in politics
| ~ i'"hS iN'pUpllcHn n club WAS organ
! i"cd IN l'rooklyn To promote tho Car
/ hcld campaign. aud MIR Low wns sc
| icctcd as president Of the club NUM-
/ c'Pai affairs In brooklyn were ut ,hnl
'ihc III bad way. suffering from the
/ way" OF cNtravaSancc and corrunti,,,
! that had been set in motion by th,.
Tweed ring IN New York Mr. Low
/ ana ms club insisted that the improve
! mcnt OF civic government could be ac.
/ complishcd only by disregardinC partv
| lines and national issues so far assmu
| nicipal affairs were concerned. 'rh,
/ principle at that time was now onc
and Mr.. Lows leadership in the move
ment resulted Ia his election as Mayor
! of brooklyn by tho regular ErpuhIi
/ can and indcpendont forces In iISS3
I he was re elected for Il second term.
| lie stood sauarcly and insistcntIy for
| business principles in local affairs and
! Continued on Second pasc.)