[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 21 (Tuesday, February 25, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S1579]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       HONORING THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF BUREAU COUNTY REPUBLICAN

 Ms. MOSELEY-BRAUN. Mr. President, I would like to congratulate 
the Bureau County Republican on its 150th anniversary.
  Since 1847, the people of Princeton and Bureau County have turned to 
the Republican for accurate news and information. What began as a 
small, weekly paper dedicated to the abolition of slavery is now known 
as the primary local morning newspaper in the region.
  The Bureau County Republican is a great American success story, and 
Illinois is proud of its long and distinguished history.
  In honor of the paper's sesquicentennial, I ask that an article from 
the January 2, 1997, edition of the Bureau County Republican be printed 
at this point in the Record.
  The article follows:

              The Tradition of Community Publishing Grows

       The Bureau County Advocate was first published on December 
     2, 1847 by Ebenezer Higgins.
       Justin Olds and J.M. Wilkinson purchased the Advocate in 
     the summer of 1851 and changed its name to the Princeton 
     Post. In 1858, the Princeton Post was changed to the Bureau 
     County Republican. John W. Bailey I purchased the Bureau 
     County Republican in 1863. In the early days, he was 
     identified with the Abolition Party and also with the 
     underground railroad.
       According to the ``Big Bureau and Bright Prairies'' edited 
     by Doris Parr Leonard and published by the Bureau County 
     Board of Supervisors, Bailey, 33, had worked in Ohio, 
     Indiana, Tennessee and Washington, D.C. and was directed to 
     Princeton by Joseph Medill of the Chicago Tribune who had 
     heard that a paper was for sale in the county seat of Bureau 
     County. Ironically both the Bureau County Republican and the 
     Chicago Tribune were founded the same year, 1847.
       He continued as head of the Republican for 40 years until 
     his death May 28, 1903. He was succeeded by his son, Harry U. 
     Bailey, who also headed the paper for 40 years until his 
     death Sept. 20, 1943.
       Third in the line of Baileys to head the newspaper was John 
     W. Bailey III, son of H. U. Bailey. He was publisher from 
     1943 until his death May 13, 1946, in a fire in his home. His 
     widow, the former Mary Potter of Henry, whose life he had 
     saved in the fire, subsequently became the publisher and 
     continued that role for 31 years.
       John W. Bailey III, a graduate of the University of 
     Wisconsin, had become a junior partner in 1935 and had 
     directed his efforts toward a vigorous program to make the 
     Republican a stronger force, enhancing the potential of 
     Princeton as a mercantile, agricultural and small industrial 
     center.
       In June 1963, the newspaper which had been a weekly since 
     its inception, became a semi-weekly. Thursday's paper 
     remained the Republican while the newspaper published on 
     Tuesday was called the Bureau County Record.
       On May 12, 1977, the BCR/Record was sold to the B. F. Shaw 
     Printing Co., publishers of the Dixon Evening Telegraph.
       Illinois Valley Shopping News was purchased in 1982 
     replacing the Bureau County Advertiser.
       In 1987, the Saturday edition was added and in 1992 the BCR 
     converted to an AM newspaper, making it the only local 
     morning newspaper.
       The Bureau County Republican won the distinction of being 
     the best weekly newspaper in the state in 1988 and 1991 as 
     judged by the Illinois Press Association in winning the Will 
     Loomis and Harold and Eva White trophies.
       Publishers succeeding Mary Bailey have included William 
     DeLost, William Shaw, Vern Brown, Robert Sorenson and Sam R. 
     Fisher, current publisher.
       Editors have included Theodore A. Duffield, Scott Caldwell, 
     James Dunn, Ron DeBrock and James F. Troyer, and current 
     editor, Lori Hamer.

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