LOW, SETH ( I An American educa tor and administrator. He was born in Brook lyn: graduated at Columbia College in 1870, and after a short trip abroad, entered the tea and silk house of A. A. Low & Brothers. founded by his father in New York. In 1873 he was ad• witted a member of the firm. from which, upon its liquidation in 1888, he withdrew with a large fortune. In 1882 he was elected Mayor of Brook lyn by a fair majority on an independent ticket. His administration was characterized by his application of the civil-service system to city offices and the impartial maintenance of effi cient service among appointees. In 1884 he was elected to a second term. which expired in 1886. In 1890 he was elected to succeed Dr. F. A. P. Barnard (q.v.) in the presidency of Columbia College. Not a trained scholar. nor an educator in the specific meaning of the word, he succeeded by his administrative skill in trans fo•ming the institution. He increased the col lege proper in resources, attendance, and general reputation: transferred the site of the institu tion to the valuable property on Morningside Heights, and vitally united, the various schools into one organization, with the title of uni versity, and under the direction, not as there tofore of the respective faculties. but of a uni versity council. Further reforms effected by him include the reorganization of the Law School, the addition of a faculty of pure science, the association with the university of the Teach ers College, and the extension of the department of political and social study. He also made to
the university a gift of $1,000,000, to be used for the erection of a library building. In 1897, despite the opposition of the organizations of the two great parties, he received 150,000 votes as inde pendent candidate for Mayor of New York City. Ile was a member of the American delegation to the Czar's Peace Conference at The Hague in 1899, and at various times held other posts of public trust. In 1901, when the revolt against Tam many Hall had become general, he was elected Mayor of New York City on a fusion ticket, whose candidates were pledged especially to break up police. corruption, and despite many difficulties, due to the effects of the Tammany administration, was able to announce, through a message appear ing in the public prints of February 17, 1903, progress in the several municipal departments. He was a founder and the first .president of the Bureau of Charities of Brooklyn, and was elect ed vice-president of the New York Academy of Sciences and president of the American Aretheo logical Institute. His academic dignities include, among others, the degree of LL.D., conferred by the University of the State of New York, Harvard, and Princeton.