LOW, Sampson, English publisher: b. London, 1797; d. 1886. He became manager in 1837 of a fortnightly trade journal styled The Publishers' Circular, on which his 'British Catalogue' was afterward based and of which he became proprietor in 1867. He established the publishing house of Sampson Low & Co., in 1848. His various compilations include 'In dex to Current Literature' (1859-60) ; 'Low's Literary Almanac' (1873), etc.
LOW, Seth, American educator and ad ministrator; b. Brooklyn, N. Y., 18 Jan. 1850; d. Bedford Hills, N. Y., 17 Sept. 1916. He was educated at the Brooklyn Polytechnic In stitute and at Columbia, graduating from the latter in 1870. He then entered his father's tea and silk importing business as a clerk, and passing through all the intermediate grades be came a junior partner in the firm in 1875. In 1879 he and the other junior partners took full control of the business which was finally liqui dated in 1888. He was early interested in pub lic affairs, especially in charities, was prominent in the movement which resulted in abolishing the system of outdoor relief of Kings County, and was organizer and first president of the Bureau of Charities. He was also active in the Republican party, being president of the Young Republican Club in the Garfield campaign of 1880; and though he resigned the presidency re mained an active member of this club, which soon began agitation for the non-partisan ad ministration of city affairs. In 1881 he was nominated for mayor of Brooklyn on an inde pendent ticket, and elected: after an efficient administration he was re-elected in 1883, serv ing another two years. His administrations i were marked by reforms in the system of taxa tion, and in the public schools, but more es pecially by the introduction of the civil service system and non-partisan appointments in city affairs. In October 1889 he was offered the presidency of Columbia College (now Columbia University), which he accepted. While he was president, the undergraduate department was enlarged, the graduate schools and Barnard closely affiliated, the institution organized as a university and the site changed. He also gave the university $1,000,000 for the erection of a library building. He retained his interest in public affairs, was a member of the Rapid Transit Commission, and of the Greater New York Charter Commission, and an earnest ad vocate of consolidation; he was also twice a referee in labor troubles. In 1897 he was an independent cant idate for mayor of Greater New York and was defeated, though polling over 150,000 votes. In 1899 he was a member of the United States delegation to The Hague Peace Conference. In 1901 he was nominated for mayor of Greater New York on a Fusion ticket, and was elected. His administration the next two years led to a reduction of the taxes, sweeping reforms in the police depart ment and an enlargement of the public school system, and showed a strict adherence to the principles of business-like administration of public affairs which characterized his Brooklyn mayoralty. In 1903 he was again Fusion candi
date for mayor, but was defeated, a defeat gen erally attributed not to any serious mistakes or faults in his administration, but rather to party questions and complications. From 1907 until his death he was president of The National Civic Federation. In 1914 he was elected president of the Chamber of Commerce of the State of New York, which office he held until his death. In 1914 he was appointed by President Woodrow Wilson chairman of The President's Colorado Coal Commission. In connection with this appointment the great coal strike in Colorado was called off. He was delegate-at-large and chairman of the Cities Committee of the New York State Con stitutional Convention, 1915.
LOW, Will Hicok, American painter: -b. Albany, N. Y., 31 May 1853. He learned paint ing at Paris under GerOme and Carolus-Duran (1873-77), and since 1890 has been Academician of the National Academy of Design, and is one of the founders of the Society of American Artists. He is classed among the most active and versatile of living American artists an has been alike successful in decorative wall paint ings, stained glass (at which he worked with John La Farge, q.v.), portrait and book illus tration in black and white. His strength as a designer and colorist has been recognized by the public awards made to his work and by the demand for his services on the part of private and public patrons and connoisseurs. He has also had charge of life classes in the schools of Cooper Union and the National Academy of Design. He delivered the Scammon lectures at the Chicago Art Institute in 1910. These were published later under the title,