Milford chronicle., 1923-08-10

VI the people Oh Marion for The Sta
t He devoted himself to booming th
q town and made friends among the bus
mess men. They turned advertising hi
4 way, and at last aided greatly by Mrs
e Harding, who worked with her hus
I band in his Office, The Star, ARRIVED
. and its editor became a power in tn
} community.
Mrs. Harding's father was Amo
King, leading business man o
Marion. He strongly opposed her mar
r1age to Harding, which took place il
1891. The Star had not yet become tn,
success it was later and Killing under
estimated its proprietor.
In her work for The Star, Mrs. Har
ding did no writing, but took up thu
management Of the circulation and the
neWsboys. She literally saved the pen
MES, taking the coin home with hel
until the collection was large enough
to be banked.
Warwick in a sketch of his former
partner, said:
Il have seen w. G. marching down
to the bank with a gallon of pennies in
either hand. was always curious to
ind out how many pennies made a
gallon, but never found out"
There never was strike in the Office
of The Star. The employees always
called Harding "W. G." and esteemed
him as a cOmrade. When the paper
became firmly established, he organiz-
ed stock company, in which the
permanent employees held shares.
When Harding relinquished his con-
troll of The Star, in June, 1928, it was
a prosperous newspaper, with the lar
gest circulation of any paper in a city
OF $4,000 in the Middle West. 1t had a
full tlegraphic service the latest type
OF perfecting press, eight linotype ma
chimes and fifty employees. Largely
through Harding's efforts, factories
and railroad shops went to Marion
during the years he ran the paper,
converting the One-time farming town
into an important manufacturing city.
Turned to Political Speechmaking
Harding's ability to "talk on his
feet probably led to his entrance in
to politics, although as owner and edi- |
tor of successful paper in Ohio he |
would have had political influence in
any event. He aligned himself with |
the Republican Party even before he
was voter and soon became men,
Der OF the Republican County Com
mittee, at the meetings of which he
was a regular attendant.
He made his first political speech in
The early nineties, in the hamlet of
Martel, near Marion. His second
speech, at Scottstown, so pleased an
Did Lincoln Republican that the Veter-
IN rushed up to him and said:
Young man, you have the gift of
sab. Keep it up and some day you'll
De President of the United States"
This not unusual but infrequently
ulfilled prediction indicated at least
n appreciative auditor, and there
we're many who praised the young :
ampaign speaker. His oratory at :
racted the attention of the State Re-
ublican leaders and soon he found
imself billed to speak with McKin- .
~, Foraker and other notables among
ne Ohio Republicans. Thus developed
larding's close friendship for Nc
lnley. to whom he has been so often
kened.
From speaking for others, Harding =
aturally turned to speaking for him " y
'lf. In 1898 the voters of Hardin, u
ogan, Marion and Union counties d
ected him to the State Senate, and " q
Lther against precedent he was re- - =
ected for another term. In his first ~
lblic office Of consequence he per- -
rmed his duties satisfactorily, but d
lthout particular distinction fnd .
to make friends. "
During this period he was particu- VI
rly friendly with the Foraker faction ..
I'd was classed as an adherent of the 81
en- United States Senator in the Bit - -
r lights between groups of Ohio Re- =,
lbl1cans. Yet, years later, when the NJ
'raker-Standard Oil correspondence w w
Is published, his editorial criticism O OeO
Foraker was as caustic as anything y, ~
ever printed. - y.
When his second term as State Sen ~ ~
Dr. had expired, Harding was elect "
Lieutenant Governor in 1903, on a D,
ket headed by Myron T. Herrick, -,
er one of his principal supporters w.
the Republican nomination for -
esident. He was mentioned in the 10
1t State campaign as a possibility ir ie
the nomination for Governor. He g. g.,
'lined a denomination and resumed III
newspaper work. o.
Drafted a Code for Reporters tn,
lortly afterWard he formulated this Re
creed, which was received
every reporter on The Star: I
remember there are two sides to tor
ry question. Get them both. OF
ie truthful. Get the facts. ida
listakes are inevitable, but strive IN -,
accuracy. l would rather have one of
ry exactly right than a hundred ont
wrong. Nh,
e decent, be fair, be generous. 1q1
COST, don't knock. wo,
here's good in everybody. Bring sbil
the good and never needlessly hurt wa,
feelings of anybody. eri,
reporting a political gathering, @
the facts. Tell the story as it is, If W
as you would like to have it. Treat diti
parties alike. If there is any poll sam
to- be played, we will play it in tiOn
editorial columns. our
cat al Felslous mattefs reVer- nett
= law,
peri