The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-02-04
FOLEY DAY" BRINGS HONOR TO POET
WHO BROUGHT NOTE TO NORTH DAKOTA
James w. Foley Is HOnOred
BY Many Organizations
Throughout the State on
The First Annual "FOley
Day"

Today is North Dakota's first
Foley Day"
The proposal TO honor North Da-
kota's noted poet was launched by
the Business and Professional Wo-
mems Club Of Grand Forks, and the
idea has found quick response
throughout the state. An especially
big program is planned in that city
as q part Of the Observance of Foley
Day"
Schools throughout the state will
join in the Observance, poems being
read during the day. Many clubs in
Bismarck plan TO include Foley
Day rs Il part Of their program,
not only today hut during the week.
Mr. Foley, who now is associate
editor Of Pasadena, California,
newspaper, finds plenty Of time in
the California sunsh nine to keep on
writing the beautiful poems, which
won him fame while a resident Of
Bismarck and a member of the staff
of the Bismarck Tribune
Mr. Foley was born in st. Louis
in 1874, but he is a real North Da-
kota pioneer, coming to this state
with his father when he was but
stationed At old Fort Lincoln, ana in
1880 the family moved to Bismarck.
Mr. Foley lived in Dakota territory
and state for 81 years.
During his life in North Dakota.
he found inspiration in the rugged
plains and adventurcsome men for
many Of his finer poems. He knew
Theodore Roosevelt as II young man,
when the latter ranched in the Bad
Lands. He was acquainted with
many famous characters of North
Dakota history, and himself q plac-
teal newspaper man, played his pr TT
in the political development of the
state
Rise Described !
Mrs. Julia Budlong, formerly state
librarian, wrote a sketch Of Mr..
Foley in which she described his H.
tcrary rise. She said:
Poems in Bad Lands Cowboy"
IN 1892, some of his verses print
ed in The Bad Lands Cowboy at
tracted the attention Of Marshall n.
jewell, of the Bismarck Tribune.
who offered him IL place on the staff
Of that paper. From that time till
the death of Mr.. jewell in 1871, he
held various positions on the STAFF of
this daily, and the Subscribers wat CHI
ed delightcdly for his contributions.
Mr.. JEWELS backing aided material
~ in starting the literary caroA" de-
MED to 30 many on account of finan-
cial conditions
Gle held at various times political
and journalistic positions. He was
secretary of the senate for several
sessions, secretary of the railroad
commission, and private secretary tc
Governor Sarles. In his writing.
during these years Mr.. Foley proved
the we'll known assertion of Edison
that genius is one percent inspira-
tion and % percent perspiration,
The poet owes his success to ever
lasting persistence and patience.
Found Success by 1910
Perseverance finally spelled sue.
cess for him and by 1910 he was able
80 20 to the drawer where he had
thrown his rejected manuscripts OF
former years. pull them out and sell
them for good round sums. In 1912
the Century company paid him the
rare compliment of holding its Feb.
ruary issue several days in order to
include poem by him on the Los
Angeles labor disturbance in which
the Times building was wrecked
The poem was entitled The New
Dawn of Labor In 1916 his poem
The Way of a Boy was included in
Braithwaite's collection of the poems
of distinction of the year.
His verses fall easily into three
classes as the three volumes of his
works illustrate. There are songs OF
childhood, and heart songs in which
the author follows the lead of Riley
and Field, and there are the fresh
western plains songs in which the
poet is more original and versatile
Lovers of the poet and of the plain!
could we'll wish our laureate hac
given US more of these, fresh CLEAN
ed from the life he has seen and liv
ed--the life which is passing all too
soon and which so we'll merits some
fitting commemOration from the me,
and women that made it,