Josiah William Bailey (14 September 1873 - 15 December 1946) was a Democratic U.S. senator from the state of North Carolina between 1931 and 1946. Born in Warrenton, NC, he grew up in Raleigh and graduated from Wake Forest College (now-Wake Forest University). Before turning to a career in law, Bailey was editor of the Biblical Recorder, a newspaper for North Carolina Baptists.

Elected to the U.S. Senate in 1930 by defeating longtime Democratic Senator Furnifold McLendel Simmons, Bailey earned a reputation as a conservative while in office. In 1937, he co-authored the bi-partisan 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.(blank">http://www.northcarolinahistory.org/encyclopedia/12/entry) During his time in office, he served as chairman of two different committees: the Committee on Claims and later the _Committee on Commerce.

Bailey died in office in 1946.

Well known for his quotes, two of the most famous of which are most likely: "They who forgive most, shall be most forgiven." and "Since we humans have the better brain, isn't it our responsibility to protect our fellow creatures from, oddly enough, ourselves?".