The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1923-08-03

Iberia, Ohio. He tried school teach
ing for a year. but having had a
smell of printers ink while sticking
type for his college paper, the lure
drew him into the newspaper field.
His family, meantime, had moved
to Marion, in an adjoining county.
where he obtained his first newspaper
job and where his life interests were
centered thereafter. Mr. Harding's
ambition was to become a publisher
and it was realized at the age of 49,
when he bid in the Marion Star at
a sheriff's sale. The paper was pur-
chased under heavy mortgage and
his friends have often said that the
struggles and hardships which were
his in making this paper a success
had much to do in fashioning his
career and developing a broad patti
ence and tolerance which were his
chief characteristics.
Whatever his other attachments. Mr..
Harding's greatest pride was in his
professional accomplishments, and
training as printer, editor, and pub
Usher. Nor did the interests and
exacting duties of his high office
serve to dull his delight in puttering
about composing room. On his
first trip back home after his in
auguration, he went to the Star Of
flee, pulled off his coat rolled up
his sleeves, borrowed a chew of to-
bacco and helped make up" the |
paper. His luck charm was a prin-
ter's rule, carried always in a vest |
pocket.
As his ambition had carried him !
into the ranks of publishers, so his |
fancy took him into the realm of poll |
tics. From the first he was an ar
dent partisan and his insistence up
on wearing stovepipe hat" the !
badge of support of James G. Blaine,
while a reporter on a democratic
brought him a sharp re-
primand from his chief, who held it
to be inconsistent for a worker on a
democratic paper to display so pro-
the symbol of his republi-
canism.
Was Able Speaker
The future presidents ability as
stump speaker won him early recog-
milton from his local party leaders,
Marion county then was in the demo-
cratic column and he undertook to
switch it to the republican party, but
his first effort at office on his party
ticket resulted in a defeat, though he
an unexpected VOTE Mr.
first political office was
hat Of Ohio state senator, to which
ne was elected at the age of "a. He
served two terms and later was
elected lieutenant governor of his
state. In 1910 he sought the govern
ship, but was defeated.
Four years later he was elected J
% the United States senate, where
lie served six years, much of the time
Is a member of the important foreign
citations committee. From this place
lie was elevated to the presidency, the I
irst senator to be elected chief exc
,utive.
Early in his years Of political SER
vice he met William Mckinley, to
whom his close friends have most
,ften likened him and with whom he I
lad in common a predominant passion I
or obliteratiOn of class and sectional
ines. A friendship sprang up be- :
ween the two men. Mr.. Harding also
vas close in later days to Theodore
roosevelt, Senators Foraker, and Pen Q
ose and others high in his party Q
ounsels. Il
The president was a life long Bap- +
list and was a trustee of his home q
hurch in Marion. He also had been b
member of the ElkS and Moose fra =
srnities for years and after his cleo :
on as president he became a thirty
econd degree Mason and Shriner