The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1923-08-10

v
ninth president Of the United States,
was born November 2. 1865, on his
grandfather's farm just outside the viii
lage of Blooming Grove. in Morrow
county, Ohio. He was descended from
two pioneer American families, hardy
Holland Dutch on the one side and lib
erty-loving Scotch on the other. His
father. DR.. George 7. Harding, is still
a practicing physician in Marion, o..
despite his advanced age of seventy
. nine years. His mother was Phoebe
Elizabeth Dickerson Harding.
Mr.. Harding was self-made man in
Z the. best sense Of the phrase. He
worked on his grandfather's farm and
attended the village school until he
was fourteen years old, and then he
entered the Ohio Central college at
iberia. He worked his way through
that institution by cutting corn, paint
ing his neighbours barns and helping
on the grading of the roadbed of the
T. & o. c. railroad. He also played in
the village band and was editor of the
college paper.
When he graduated from the college,
Warren went to work in the village
printing office. At the time he was
nineteen years old, his father moved
to Marion with the family and there
aided Warren financially in gaining
control of the Marion Star, of which
he was publisher until after he as
sumed office of president Of the United
States. Already he knew how to set
type and to do all the other duties of
a printer. and when the linotype was
introduced he learned to operate that
machine Always he carried as peck
ct piece the printers rule he used in
those days.
very proud of it and of the more than
friendly relations that existed between
him and his employees. There was
never a strike on the paper. and about
IA years ago he instituted a profit
sharing plan whereby the employees
received dividends that were paid them
in the form of stock in the paper. Mr..
Harding was identified also with the
industries that sprang up in Marion as
it grew from a town Of 1000 to city
of more than 10000. He was direc-
tor in bank and in several manufac-
turing companies, and was d trustee
Of Trinity Baptist church.
His Rise in Politics.
4 As editor and publisher of lively
Republican paper it was inevitable
that Mr.. Harding should take an ac-
tive interest in politics. and his attain
ments brought him to the front in the
state. He was member of the Ohio
senate f-0m 1900 to 1904, and then
served g. lieutenant governor of the
state. In 1910 he was the Republican
nominee for governor, but was defeat
ed. In 1915 he was sent to the United
States senate, serving until 1920, when
he resigned to make the campaign for
the presidency. In the preconvention
Hooked on as one Of the possible nomi-
mees for the high office, but his defeat
in the primaries for election of dele
gates from Ohio seemed to spoil his
chances. However, the conservative
leaders of the Republican party pre-
vailed in the gathering in the Chicago
Coliseum, and Mr.. Harding. was nomi-
mated. His campaign was based large
ly on opposition to American partici-
patton in the League of Nations, and
was so successful that in the election
of November he received 404 cleo
toral votes to 127 for James M. Cox,
the Democratic nominee. He was in
augurated March 4, 1921, with de-
gree of simplicity in the ceremonies
that pleased the American people.
Oassed, when In the senate as
conservative, President Harding did
not depart markedly from conserva-
tive lines when in the White House.
though his supporters always said he
was as progressive as the good of the
country warranted and as conditions
permitted. He, like President Roose-
welt. had great coal miners strike on
his hands, and labored hard and with
a measure of success to bring 1t to a
peaceful and just end.
Arms Limitation Conference.
The outstanding accomplishment of
his administration was the great inter-
national conference for the Limitation
of armament held in Washington, open
ing on Armistice day, November II,
1921. At his instigation the confer
ence was authorized by congress and
after feeling out the big powers and
finding them agreeable he issued invi-
tations to Great Britain, France, Bel
gium. italy, Japan, China. the Meth
erlands and Portugal. Each country
sent some of its most eminent states
men as delegates. those Of the United
States being Secretary of State
Hughes, chairman of the conference;
Senators Lodge Of Massachusetts and
Underwood Of Alabama. and ex-Secre-
tary of State Elihu Root.
The conference adjourned February
8, 1922, after negotiating these