Joseph Weldon Bailey

Joseph Weldon Bailey Sr., was a United States senator, member of the U.S. House of Representatives, lawyer, and Bourbon Democrat who was famous for his speeches extolling conservative causes of his time, such as opposition to woman suffrage or restrictions on child labor. He served as a Congressional Representative between 1891 and 1901, and as the House Minority leader from 1897 until 1899. In 1901, he was elected to the Senate, serving until 1913. Historian Elna C. Green says that Bailey "was known in Texas as a rigorous defender of states' rights, constitutional conservatism, and governmental economy. His opponents considered him the symbol of privilege and corruption in government."