Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-11-03
HARDING EARLY SHOWED
LEADERSHIP QUALITIES
Senator Another of Long List of *Country
Boys' Who Have Made Good in
American Public Life.

The American people today made
Warren Gamaliel Harding. senator
from Ohio. the greatest birthday pros
ent in their power-the presidency OF
the United States Just fifty-five years
ago today the President-elect was
born on his grandfather's farm out
side the village of Blooming Grove
Morrow county. Ohio.
Senator Harding is another OF the
long list Of country boys" who have
made good in America He was the
eldest of eight children. His father
in the early days, was a hustiing
young country doctor. who had served
with honor in the Union Army during
the civil war. DR.. George I. Harding
though Seventy-SiX years old, is still
a practicing physician in Marion. Ohio
And, speaking of birthdays. DR.. Hard
ing received the notification OF his
sons nomination for President by the
republican party on his own birthday
June II.
Ancestors Scotch and Dutch.
OF Scotch and Dutch ancestry. Sena-
tor Harding comes of sturdy pioneer
stock. His forebears played their parts
in colonial and revolutionary days.
His early days on his grandfather
farm were much like those of other
country boys of the time. He worked
at various chores and helped harvest
the crops. His vigorous physique to-
day is probably largely due to this
early outdoor life. AS boy he was
fond of sports that kept him in the
first of the boys on hand at the old
swimming hole when the winter chill
left MILESTONE creek.
Warren Harding attended the viii
lage school until he was fourteen
years old. Then he entered the Ohio
Central College of Iberia. He stood
high In scholarship when he was
graduated. Now and then during his
college course young Harding did as
SO many other American boys have
done while obtaining their education.
he turned to and worked for money to
help him on his way. Sometimes he
cut corn, and at others he painted
barns and drove teams. When he was
seventeen he taught district school
and footed" a horn in the village
brass band. 1t was as a member of
the band that he attended his first
political meeting. After his nominal
tion and his return to his home in
Marion last July. Senator Harding was
serenaded by the old band, or what is
left Of 1t.
Regain Study OF Law.
When Warren Harding left college
It the age Of nineteen his father
moved to Marion, the county seat of
the county of that name. There the
family has remained ever since, TAX
ing q large part in the development of
that place, which has grown from q
country town of 1000 inhabitants to
a hustling industrial city Of 10000.
Young Harding began the study Of
not continuing in the study of the
legal profession is that it irked him
to have to go to his father whenever
he wanted spending money. He want
ed to be Independent. At the sugges-
ton of a friend he tackled the insur-
almost Immediately. He opened up an
agency and made good money. But
he was not destined to stay in the
insurance business.
the Marion (Ohio) Star, then diminu-
tive daily newspaper. q liability rather
than an asset, fell into the hands of
DR.. Harding and some of his associ-
ates. Senator Harding might never
have entered upon his career as q
newspaper man and publisher. 1t was
suggested that Warren help out with
the Marion Star. He had worked at
odd times in the village print shop
and knew something about typeset-
ting. He was interested in newspaper
work, too. and had written for the
college paper.
Expert Newspaper Man.
He took hold of the Marion Star and
began the long pull to put it on its
feet. Warren Harding did about every
thing there was to do on newspaper,
writing. setting type. helping to make
up" and to operate the press. Senator
Harding knows the newspaper game
from A to q. in consequence. He still
publishes the Marion Star, which has
developed into one of the most sue
cessful daily newspapers in the small
er cities of the middle west The days
Of struggle for the paper are long
since gone by, and 1t is a prosperous
money -making plant. After he had
established his paper on a firm flnan-
cial footing Senator Harding organ
ICED q stock company, distributing