The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1920-11-12
PERSONALITY OF WARREN C.
HARDING, PRESIDENT-ELECT
By w. B. McNamce.

! Marion, Ohio, Nov. What sort
of personality has presidcnt-elect
Warren c. Harding?
This is the question being asked by
millions of Americans, men and wo-
men alike, who contributed their bal
lots to the political hurricane that
swept the Republican party into
power and buried all opposition un-
der an avalanche of votes.
While in series of short campaign
trips Senator Harding reached per-
sonally perhaps 4 few hundred thou
sand voters, there were, of course,
! millions more who never have seen
the man who scored the most spec
| sacular political victory Of modern
times.
Upon the 18 newspaper men
who were with Mr.. Harding through
out entire campaign evolved the task
Of carrying the convictions and utter
ances to the American public, and
| these were perhaps in closer touch
with the, candidate than even his po-
litical henchmen. To them his ideas
and his personality were revealed in
daily intimate touches.
White Press House.
When in Marion, receiving the
daily pilgrimages Of Republicans
from all over the country Senator
Harding frequently would come back
to the small white press house buried
amongst the big apple trees in his
back yard to talk with the men who
were writing the news Of the Re
publican campaign.
| Reclining easily in big state
chair kept there especially for his
use, Senator Harding would light up
one of his long stogies and, after
giving a short sketch of the political
picture, would frequently talk for
An hour in reminiscent strain of per-
sonal experiences Of his public life.
But apparently he liked to dwell
| upon the characteristics and person
alities Of friends of his youth, of his
intimate contact with men and 'wo-
men in all stations Of life. In these
talks was revealed the intense hu-
man side of the man who on March
4 will occupy the White House. he
loved to linger upon memories OF
those who had befrienacd him in his
steady rise to fame from farmer boy
70 presidcnt-elect Of the United
States. an
Jak. Miller.
| One of these narratives of Senator
Harding's was typical Of many. He
recalled Jake Millef,. an old; white
haired compositor on his paper, the
'sMarion Star" ar
Cake is typical of; the fine straits
that constitute the American charac-
ter" said Senator Harding. "He has
been on The Star with me for 40
years, and he has stuck to me through
thick and thin. On several occasions
in our early days, I had to go to my
mother for a loan F. meet Jake's
salary check. Jake insisted that ne
didn't want me to do this, that he
could wait for the money, but his
fine loyalty made me, determined to
see that he got all that was coming
to him no matter how rickety our IL
nancial condition. Mother saw the
same as | did, and always helped me
to pay jake"
Jake was on the famous front
porch the other night. He came to
see his "boss." 1t was too late, but
he went right up and rang the door
bell of the Harding home. Senator
Harding himself answered the ring.
"Why, Jake, what are you dong
herc," he, asked.
A Wonderful Night.
sI came TO congratulate you on
your election" said Jake. Warren,
this is a wonderful night for me, as
we'll as you
=; Senator Harding's eyes filled with
tears. He took both of JaEe's hands
! in his, and held them for several
, minutes before he could get the
;"chokes" out of his voice to thank
his old friend and pledge him his
good will for life. The incident gives
typical close up Of Senator Hard
, ing's devotion to his friends, a trait
which has endeared him not only to
the people of Marion with whom he
has lived a greater part of his life
F.; but to those who came to the front
porch from all sections of the coun-
! try.