The sun., 1919-04-17
R. S. MCCORMICK,
DIPLOMAT, is DEAD
Former Ambassador to Russia,
France and Austria Sue
cumbs at Seventy.
OF GREAT REAPER FAMILY
He Was Father Of Medill and
Robert r. Mccormick
Of Chicago.

CHICAGO, April 16.-Robert Sanderson
Mccormick. who at different times was
United States Ambassador to Russia,
France and Austria and who was the
father of Medil Mccormick and Robert
r. Mccormick. one of the editors OF the
Chicago Tribune, died to-day at his home
in Hinsdale. a suburb OF this city. His
had been In falling health for twelve
years or ever since 1907. when he gave
UP his post in France.
Robert Sanderson Mccormick was
born In Rockbridge county. Virginia, In
1S49 and was the son OF William S.
Mccormick. who, with his brothers,
Cyrus and Leander, first established the
Mccormick family IN Chicago and laid
the foundation of its fortunes. At the
time OF their arrival in the city farm
ing on a large scale was just at It's
beginning in the middle States of the
country and in the West. and farm
machinery was very crude. The Nc
Cormicks went into the farming imple-
ment industry and ultimately developed
number OF machines, notably the
reaper and binder, tho inventions upon
which principally the American Har-
vester Company grew to Its present
proportions.
The family fortunes were full blown
when Robert S. Mccormick arrived at
| manhood; he had no taste for business,
and after attending the old Chicago Uni
versity and taking a postgraduate de-
gree at the University OF Virginia he en-
| tered the diplomatic service. His first
| term OF service was as one or the secre-
taries OF legation in London, and Rob-
ert T. Lincoln was Minister.
He had become known already as a
collector OF rare books and Of Napolsonic
| biographies and etchings In 1875 he
married Miss Katherine Mediil. daughter
OF Joseph Medill, founder OF the Chicago
| Tribune.
| Mr.. Mccormick was appointed Minis
ter to Austria In 1901 by President Nc
Kinley. and during his tenure the Min
istry was raised to an Enthusiastically
In 1903 President Roosevelt made him
Ambassador to Russia.
He went TO Russia at n time when II
had grown to be the custom for Ameri-
can Ambassadors to maintain a certain
touch OF splendor in their manner OF
living at the capitals to which they were
accredited. and none but men OF wealth
were able to accept appointment Mr.
Mccormick set himself up sumptuously
at st. Petersburg and soon achieved q
notable popularity.
He became so thorough an admirer o,
Russia and Its people that during the
Russo-Japanese war he criticised certain
American statesmen roundly for their ap
parent sympathy for Japan. And at the
same time he was thought 30 well OF by
the Government at Toxic that japanese
interests were left in his hands at st
Petersburg during the term of the wa
and the Mikado offered him a decoration
which he accepted after he had retired
from the diplomatic service.
i During his residence in Russia Mr.
Mccormick, with his strong newspaper
Affiliations. made clear to the Car tn
reasons why II was desirable that Rus
STA and Russian affairs should be bette
known 10 the world at large than the!
were. and prevailed upon him 10 permit
| Associated Press and other new
agencies and correspondents to set VI
bureaus in Russia and send Russian
news to their various countries.
Mr. Mccormick was made Ambassado
TO France in 1905 succeeding Gen
Horace Porter In Paris he was note,
for even a more ample style OF livini
than he had affected at St Petersburg
He lived in palace on the DUAL de Bill!
and paid $40, 900 francs year rent. H
left-Paris in 1907. resigning his Am
! bassadorship on account Of Ill health
In an address at a farewell Dime
| given in his honor by the American Clul
he advocated world court, strikingl.
similar to the League OF Nations nov
under consideration.
Since giving up diplomatic lie Mr.
Mccormick had lived quietly. He leave
his widow and two sons, a brother
William G.. Mccormick of Baltimore
: and sister. Mrs, Samuel r. levitt. o
ChIcaRO