The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1920-11-20
HARDING CONDUCTS
MODEL NEWSPAPER

On his fifty-ffth birthday a~nniver-
sary Warren Gamaliel Harding, men,
Der of the United States Senate and
editor OF the Marion (Ohio) Star. was
elected to the presidency of the United
States by one OF the largest majorities
ever given a presidential candidate.
Editor Harding's rise to fame and
power has not been meteoric. but has
been achieved entirely through his
wi efforts. Born on a farm near
Blooming Grove, Morrow county, Ohio,
he Is the son of George T. Harding
and Phoebe Dickerson. both of whom
came from good old colonial stock.
He entered Ohio Central college at
Iberia when fourteen. where, as edi-
tor OF the college paper, he first dis
played q talent tor journalism. Among
the odd jobs" he turned his hand to
at this time were footing a horn in
the village brass band and working in
the village printing office. The odor
OF printers ink seemed to have the
greatest attraction for him and he
mastered the business from pulling
proofs" to making up He still car
ries as a luck piece" the old printers
rule he first used in setting typ by
hand.
At nineteen his father moved to
Marion. and here it was that he took
hold OF the Star. when it was a ques-
ton whether the paper was a liability
or an asset BY dint of sheer hard
work he built up the paper until to-
day 1t is prosperous. making money,
with a circulation larger thar any
newspaper in a city OF 10000 in the
Middle west.
On the day after Harding bought
the Star-November rs. lSS4-this an
nouncement appeared: We have pur-
chased the Star and will stay.-The
Star publishing Company" The COM
pany consisted of Warren Harding
and his chum, Jack Warwick. Thus
began Aarding's career as a publisher.
For several years he lived a slaves
life. First the property had to be pad
Tor. Harding ~ransacked Marion for
news II advertisements When his
. UAAtAAS wac QOAiC liz IcIHtu Ills DdIl-
ner set the type. IN Ike Up the paper,
turned or led the creaEy little press,
n got the carrier boys out. Mnen
tnis was flushed The partners turned
10 ii distributed the type, Tor the,
had barely enough OF it for one day 5
the next day.
iAe Star, Harding took it, was
all Insignificant little sheet in a eoun-
~ seat u svUV population. TO lnaAe
matters worse. apparently, harulAo
cuangeu lis politics from ~indepenuen.
was strongly Democratic. Day by ia,
the peopie Oh Maroon predicted earls
oeatn ior the star. but it continued u
Z" aiong despite attacks on 4,
ano Its euItur by the Independents,
wnicn at last began to feel the touch
OF business.
warren harding smiles now over
the struggle OF those days, but the
tact Is tnaI Tor a long time after he
bought the STAR he was never sure
he was confident, but never sure-tna,
the next morning would not Ind ni.4l
says Ine Fourth Estate. lie SOLD N
OF the side, resorted to ali
sorls OF expedients to meet the Satur-
day nighl pay roll. Worked ali oay
and inquired all night and in Ins
midst OF ms troubles decided that l..~
paper had TO nave a telephone in o.
der TO keep abreast of the times.
HIS partner baked at this. Har-
ding bought his partner u and pa,
hun on the payroll, thus reducing Ia.
sum he himself was entitled to draw
Tor his services. The paper could no. |
m%odernize its ramshackle equipnen.
because the purchase price. secure.
by a mortgage, had to be paid in s.A
months from the time of the sher.u ) |
auction.
At N stage the forms which hei1
the type OF the Star were kept ugA.
by plugs made of burned matches
There was also an afternoon in whlcA
Harding met the editor of the bitter,
attacking Marion Independent ON tn~
street and. shaking his fist under ~.
editors nose, said:
In going to mop up the stree.
with you II you don't stop lying abou.
me. and then Ill go over and mop W.
your office with what remains"
The p%rovocation must have been
pretty fierce, for Harding has always
won his way by Cancellation, not al
~tercation. With his ability. energy
and courtesy. Harding won the gooa
will OF Marion for the Star. For h..
part hscdAng devoted himself "