The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-05-29
WILLIS j. BAILEY
Something About the Life of
the Republican Candidate.
CAME TO KANSAS YOUNG
Has Made a Fine Reputation
While in the State.
CAME TO KANSAS YOUNG

county, Illinois, October z. 1854. His
father was a pioneer in Illinois, NOV
ing from New York to that state in
1877, where he had followed farming. Mr..
Bailey attended the district school in his
neighborhood; went TO the high school
in Mount Carroll and graduated from
the University of Illinois in June. 1873.
! At graduation his inclination was to take
TO the law course at Harvard, but his
father owning land in Kansas, he decided
TO pursue agriculture instead Of law, so
| with span Of horses and a buggy he
came Overland to Kansas. crossing the
Missouri river at White Cloud and from
thence arriving at the present site of
Baileyville July II. 1873. There were only
two houses in sight of the place then,
and Mr.. Bailey had TO drive stakes into
the ground 10 hitch his team while he
found the corner stone that located their
land. Northern Kansas was then enter
ing the formative period in state history
and men as leaders were wanted Mr.
Baileys farm life in Illinois fitted him
10 at once adapt himself 10 conditions in
Nemaha county. He began TO improve
the farm without delay; hired fourteen
men 10 help with the work, and patched"
it with true, pioneer spirit. The land
was fenced and laid out in fields. 4
house and barn, withgranaries and wind
mills were built. 4 10-acre grove was
set out with dozens of varieties of
trees, among them fine collection Of
evergreens-then rare sight in Kansas,
and the foundation was laid for one Of
the finest improved farms in northern
Kansas. Mr.. Bailey was the first farmer
in that part OF Kansas to grow tame
grasses. With the settlers here then all
these trees and forage were considered
experimnts; but Mr.. Bailey had been a
farmer boy in Illinois, and proceeded
and succeeded regardless OF the early
day customs Of the Kansas farmer Dur
ing the first year of improvements SEN
eca, seven miles distant, was Mr. Bailey's
nearest trading point, and il was a daily
duty to go to town and buy provisions
and get the mail; many of these trips
were made on horseback. a lack of post
office facilities was a great deprivation
to Mr.. Bailey, and the following year
he personally petitioned West r. Wilkin-
son, then publishing the Seneca Weekly
Courier for the establishment Of an Of
fee at their place This required little
red tape at that time, and the office was
soon established and named Baieyville,
for the family interested; siding was
put in by the railroad company, and
their mail delivery has ever since ben
equal to any small station on the st. Jo-
seph & Grand Island road.
With farm started RafIcxr wont
back TO Illinois that fail and shipped west
nine cars Of shorthorn heifers This
vas Mr. Bafley's beginning in the stock
business in Kansas. The third year after
arrival he fenced out forty acre feed
lot. which was fitted with every facility
II feed cattle and hogs. and he has ever
since been a leading feeder and shipper
in Memaha county. This has been an in
dividual enterprise with Mr. Bailey and
he has always raised and fed the best
grades Of stock.
When attending the University of Illi-
nois. Mr.. Baieys fellow students picked
him as an orator and one possessing
marked executive ability. In his junior
year he was elected president of the
Adelphic society. the crack litrary organ
ization of the university. This was an
honor rarely won by members of the /
junior class. And in the inter-society con
test of 1878 Mr.. Bailey won in the orator
ical debates Of the university for that |
year. IN those. days the University Of /
Ilnois was governed by the students. |
y no maintained a complete form of gov
eminent fully Differed. In this control |
os the University Mr.. Bailey ives success
sively elected as president, supreme Judge /
and prosecuting attorney. None of these /
We're sought after by Mr.. Bailey /
lC his whole life honors have come TO 1
him, bur he always filed Wen his part /
and and attracted following by true I
ard deserved merit.
Coming to Kansas fresh from school 4
Mr. Bailey naturally tok TO politics here I
where politicians are so numerous. and /
iC has Gene really to be a profession |
teat is not dishonorable. on as the new /
township Of Marion was formed. Mr. /
Bailey was among their first delegates /
T. Republican conventions in Seneca. II
has rarely missed county convention |
Snd for years has been depended upon by /
the rank and file Us a leader. Mr. Bailey
has never set up as q boss IN local poll /
ties but always found working for the 4
success Of his party and against any I
selfish interests that weaken the organiza-
uon. His power as an orator was never
more fully shone than in the county CON
venion at eneca when a'cabal had plan
ned the nomination of "a man whose rec
ord as bolter was unquestioned. but
whose strength and following seemed /
likely to secure his nomination. Mr
Bailey faced the convention at q critical /
time OF The balloung and urged the nom
lnat.on onl yof candidates who were Re
puoicans af5 DAYS in q year. His appeal
was magnetic and resulted IN the COM
piete rout ~ the party asking place on
The Republican ticker who had Cor wears
been voting for the opposition party
for the onTce h was sekins
Ills ability was recognized hy TIE party
.n Nemaha county end his first elective
Office was IN The Kansas legislature of
ISIS He Was nominated fer the follow
ing session, hul having made bis cam
aign IS supporter 81 the late John J.
Irgalis. Ior recollection n the United
States senate. went down To defeat with !
i1any others IN Kansas tA7t year vhe
0erc knaRn Ingalls, men. u. the legis-
iat1re Ar- Bailey was giveu q plsce Or
the committee en- railroaGs ard vas made
chairman ~ the committee on municipal
Indebtedness. AZ that ttne 5he heef com
6.ne had 5ast developed. AIT Bailey took
az active part In me discussion for an
investigatlon of th4t question. ard was
ore N she special committee selected bs
The legislature N attend convention q.
s. Louis CoFacseI oE delegates sent frsnl
The LEGISLATURES q otaser states.