Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1921-03-10
THE NEW PRESIDENT

as On editor, publisher and printer
proud OF his professional accomplish
men4s and training. His luck charm
and most sacred possession Is a
DrinteTs rule, carried In his pocket
wherever he does; and his close
friends say he would rather get
stick Of type any day than grant an
audience to an ambassador.
For more than thirty years Mr..
Harding's bread and butter has been
earned by the Marion Star, whose
responsibilities he assumed under
heavy mortgage and whose early
years he nourished at the expense
of going hungry more than once
himself. Since his nomination for
the presidency he has faced only one
public ordeal that aroused emotions
he could not master That was the
Temporary severance Of the ties that
bind him to the Star. On election
night, when n group Of his employees
came to congratulate him, his voice
broke and his big frame was shaken
by sobs when he undertook to speak
Of the separation that must be the
price of his triumph
Election day was Mr., fTarding's
fifty-f fifth birthday, and all the inter
ests of his lifetime had been rooted
IN the Immediate viciniy of Marion
TIC was born Mt blooming Grove, o.,
I'm an adjoining county, the son OF
country doctor, George Il. Harding
who stil visits his patients about
Marion I'm the one-horsc carriage OF
the old school practitioner. The new
presidents mother has been dead Tor
!, MANY years and his father Is re-
married.
Young Harding attended college at
Iberia. O.. and then tried school
teaching for year before he began
his newspaper career. Always n
partisan and Republican, he lost
his job MS reporter by wearing IN
the presence of his Democratic edi-
tor as "Blaine hat" the stove-pipe
which was badge of support of
James G.. Blaine.
Although it was n pioneer news
paper age, Mr.. Hardings mind ran
to progressive notions even In the
day when the Star still was liabil-
ity. He broke with his first partner
over the question of installing tele-
phone in the newspaper office. a pro-
posal which the partner held to be
impractical, extravagant and revolu-
tionary. Although he retains con
trolling financial interest In the Stnr
now a successful Newspaper, Mr.
Harding will occupy but titulal
relationship to 1t during his presi
dency.
Three times before he has hell
public office He served In the ohl'
legislature and as lieutenant gov
ernor of the state, and six years ag
he was elected to the United State
senate where he became membe
of the foreign relations committee
In 1915 he was chairman Of the Re
nnblican national convention.
Tn personal appearance the ney
president is man to attract sec
ond look in any crowd. He carrie
his two hundred and ten pound
without a hint of obesity, althoug
he is not quite six feet tall; and hi
massive features round out an I'm
preston of force and distinction
His hair Is iron grey-almost sllve
grey-making sharp contrast wit
fine unusually heavy black eyebrow
that almost mask pair OF calm gre
ewes. 1t is only in repose that NJ
face takes on the aspect Of severit
seen so often in his photograph
When he talks or listens the line
are broken by smile that radiatt
cordiality.
President Harding walks slowl.
talks slowly, and makes up h
mind slowly; but he gives the In
nression Of polished deliberate
rather than of over caution or abasl
ment. He is a good conversations
list and a good listener. and has
faculty Of getting through emba
RAISING situations with little sho
of embarrassment.
As an orator Mr.. Harding new
has rated himself as witty or ell
auent, though he attained conside
able success a few years ago on q
chautauuua platform. He seldo
attempts fine word pictures or h
hmorous passages, but cuNivates
deliberate, unembellished utterano
He never gives the impression
stilted dignity. He likes to knc
men well enough to call them
their first names and to slap the
on the back when he meets the
He likes to shake hands and ma
conversation about the weather a
the crops, and when he does he
ually lapses into the vernacular
an Ohio countryman.
II is Mr.. Harding's affability On
has made for officials close to h
some Of their hardest problems.
never likes to refuse an audience
TO terminate a conference until
visitor has talked himself out.
his first campaign trip his manage
ruled that time and endurance woI
not permit him to appear at wa
side stations. but after the trs
had whizzed past the first waiti
crowd he ordered that a stop
made wherever people had come
" expecting to see him.
The new president is unusual
fond of children, though he b
none of his own. He is a life-lo
Raptist and a trustee OF his hol
church in Marion. He has been
member of the Elk and Moose n
ternfties for years, and since
election to the presidency has !