The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-04-20
REASON
Death of Ex-senator Bailey
Recalls His Great Career
While q Member Of the
United States Senate.
BY Frederick lands

THE death of former United
IL States Senator Joseph weldon
Bailey in d courthouse down in
Texas ends a very colorful career
and recalls the interesting days at
Washington when he was an &C
knowledged leader.
Bailey was elected to the house OF
representatives in his early sos and
at once advanced to the leadership,
supplanting Benton Mcmillan Of
Tennessee, as the floor leader of the
minority, and it meant more TO be
leader then than now, for both
branches of congress were conspicu-
Gus for the intellectual caliber of
their membership.
However, Bailey'S first notoriety
came from his refusal to attend a
presidential reception, given by
President Mckinley, because he was
not willing to wear dress suit, the
people of his home district being OPP
posed to such regalia.
This gave him an unenviable
start, which he soon overcame by
the power of his leadership and his
oratory.
LIE and Bryan we're in the house
Il Il at the same time and there
was jealousy between them, as would
appear to be inevitable, when one
remembers how human nature acts
when 1t gets into politics
Bryan gained the greater fame.
but there was no comparison be-
tween him and Bailey in brain
power.
That was the day of the broad hat
and the Prince Albert coat, the eX-
panSive shirt front the low brow
and the wide gesture and Bailey
had them all, and his eloquence was
of the steel-engraving kind which
swept along majestically, whether
he discussed a constitutional qucS-
ton or merely talked about the
weather.
The Republican leader, Thomas B.
Reed, had great respect for Bailey's
ability which recalls an incident of
the special session called by McKin-
ley to revise the tariff.
jerry Simpson, SocklesS Jerry,
then was in the house from Kansas
and day after day he would arise
and demand that the house proceed
to consider the revision of its rules.
NNE day Simpson made the mis-
~ take of saying: Mr.. Speaker,
my request for a revision of the
rules has the endorsement of the
leader OF the minority, Mr.. Bailey"
Bailey, who did not like Simpson,
instantly arose, turned to Simpson
and said; The gentleman from
Kansas is mistaken; he should in
form himself"
Thereupon Reed, with mock SOL
emnity smote the speakers desk
with the gavel and said; The gen.
tleman from Texas should not make
an unreasonable demand of the
gentleman from Kansas"
Bailey was a leader of the senate
from the day he entered it and
whenever he spoke, the galleries
filled, as they fill now for Borah,
who is a representative of the Bailey
type il oratory.
Bailey's debates with Spooner over
Philippine legislation we're among
the best the senate has heard since
the days of reconstruction.
Strong jealousy soon arose be-
tween Bailey and Beveridge, when
the brilliant Indianian became his
senatorial colleague, this jealousy
climaxing In an attempted physical
assault by Bailey on his much small
Ter Hoosier associate, an indiscre-
ton from which Bailey never really
recovered.
But he was great speaker, the
possesSor of unqueStioned courage,
and the biggest man Texas ever sent
to the senate Of the United States.