Summary
Josiah William Bailey (September 14, 1873 – December 15, 1946) was an American politician who served as a U.S. senator from the state of North Carolina from 1931 to 1946.
Josiah Bailey | |
|---|---|
 | |
| United States Senator from North Carolina | |
| In office March 4, 1931 – December 15, 1946 | |
| Preceded by | F.M. Simmons |
| Succeeded by | William B. Umstead |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Josiah William Bailey September 14, 1873 Warrenton, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | December 15, 1946 (aged 73) Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | Wake Forest College |
Early life and education edit
Born in Warrenton, North Carolina, he grew up in Raleigh and graduated from Wake Forest College (now Wake Forest University).
Career edit
Before turning to a career in law, Bailey was editor of the Biblical Recorder, a newspaper for North Carolina Baptists. He was a presidential elector in 1908.[1]
Elected to the United States Senate in 1930, defeating longtime incumbent Furnifold McLendel Simmons, Bailey earned a reputation as a conservative while in office. In 1937, he coauthored the bipartisan Conservative Manifesto, a document criticizing President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal and proposing more conservative alternatives. Among other things, the Manifesto called for lower taxes and less spending.[2]
That same year, Bailey gave a rousing floor speech against President Roosevelt's court-packing bill, which convinced at least three freshman Republicans, thought by Majority Leader Joe Robinson to be definite supporters, to oppose the measure.[3]
A segregationist and white supremacist, Bailey filibustered anti-lynching legislation in 1938.[4]
During his time in office, he served as chairman of the Committee on Claims and Committee on Commerce.
Death edit
Bailey died in office in 1946.
See also edit
References edit
- ^ The National Cyclopædia of American Biography. Vol. D. New York, N.Y.: James T. White & Company. 1934. p. 440 – via HathiTrust.
- ^ Kickler, Troy L. The Conservative Manifesto. The North Carolina History Project.
- ^ Caro, Robert. Master of the Senate. p. 62.
- ^ Beauchamp, Zack (October 9, 2013). How Racism Caused The Shutdown. ThinkProgress. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
Sources edit
- Finley, Keith M. Delaying the Dream: Southern Senators and the Fight Against Civil Rights, 1938–1965 (Baton Rouge, LSU Press, 2008).
Further reading edit
- Moore, John Robert. Senator Josiah William Bailey of North Carolina: A Political Biography. Durham: Duke University Press, 1968.
External links edit
- United States Congress. "Josiah Bailey (id: B000046)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
- The "Conservative Manifesto" from the North Carolina History Project
- Biblical Recorder Column on Bailey at the Wayback Machine (archived September 28, 2007)
- "Taking on FDR: Senator Josiah Bailey and the 1937 Conservative Manifesto" by Troy Kickler, December 13, 2006
- Raleigh News & Observer Column on Bailey's Friendship with Huey Long [dead link]
- Josiah William Bailey at Find-A-Grave
- Josiah Bailey papers. 1773–1867. 2" linear. At the University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections.