The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1946-11-08
Last Rites Held
For State 4Sih
Chief Executive

Fina! rites were held at Meri-
dian Monday for Governor
Thomas L. Bailey. who died at
6:l5 p m. Saturday at the l05-
year-old mansion in Jackson
where he had lain paralvzed
from his waist down for more
than a week.
Thousands of people from all
walks If life overlooked the
Central Methodist church in
Meridian, where for more than
rs yeers he had been a lay lead
er and taught the mems Sunday
school class, as final tribute was
paid to Mississippi's beloved
48th chief executive.
Many schools and offices clos
ed in the state, and some gov
errors and state officials from
sister states attended the simple
services which we're conducted
by the Rev. w. A. Tyler, pastor
of the church, and DR.. John r.
Countiss. associate pastor of
] &C kson Galloway Memorial
Methodist church against a back
ground of flower banked walls.
After paying tribute to Gov
ernor Bailey and his policies,
and .pledging himself to continue
them, the states 49th chief exc
cutive, Governor Fielding L.
Wright of Rolling Fork took the
oath OF office Thursday morning
administered by Chief Justice
Sydney of the state supreme
court.
Attending the services from
Pascagnuia were j. l. Ford, Re
preventative ]. Guy Krebs and
Verne Barnes.
Sold" Mississippians
Governor Bailey will probab-
ly be best remembered in the
wears TO come as the man who
first sold Mississippi to the Mis-
sissippians."
A popular speaker, he was call
ed on innumerable times to adj
dress various organizations. and
almost always his theme was the
same
"Mississippians are the finest
in the world" "Mississip-
plans can do ANYTHING they put
their rGinds to; the only limit on
the greatness of Mississippi is the
limitation the people of Missis-
sippi put upon her." Lets pro-
cess Mississippi products on Mis-
sissippi SOIL"
Bailey was born January 6,
1888, on a small Webster county
farm six miles from Maben. In
1909 he was graduated from Mill
saps college in Jackson with an
AB degree and became associate
principal of the Madison county
agricultural high school at Cam
den. In 1910 he studied law at
Millsaps and the next year was
principal at Woodville. High
school in Wilkinson county. In
the summer of 1911 he again stu
died law. to return the next year
as principal at Woodville. The
years 1928 he devoted entirely
to the study of law and after
graduation with the LIB. degree
ne moved to Meridian to prac-
tice.
There in 1917 he married Mel
la Fora Massey.
In November 1915 he was
elected to the state House of
Representative where he served
continuously until he was elect
ed governor. During his terms in
the House he was for IL years
speaker Q924-36l.
Because Mississippi is predomi-
nantly agricultural, Bailey was
greatly interested in the farm.
Continuously and loudly he has
called for Investigation of crops.
soil conservation, and the estab-
lishment OF better farming prae-
ices, as a legislator he support
I'd legislation to establish expert
nent stations, to'provide for ex-
tension work, and to found farm
ers' co-operatives throughout the
state.
Bailey Immediately succeeded
LIT. Gov Dennis Murphree who
served as interim governor FOR
% DAYS after the death of Gov.
Paul 2. Johnson on December IS,
l943.
Baiiey's Inauguration was fea-
tured by d mile-long horse-drawn
III which seven bands
played. Negro divers and foot
men DOTTED their beaver hats, and
state political leaders and their
ladies' rode in gaily decorated
carriages.
The gubernatorial carriage, a
shiny olack veh:cle, was drawn
by spirited bay horses and was
decorated in red, white and blue.
INGALLS, CHANGES
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