The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-08-10

twenty. ninth president of the Unit
ed States, was in every respect a
self made man.
Like Abraham Lincoln and many
of his distinguished predecessors.
he worked his way up from a little
! log cabin to the White House.
! The story of HIS success read, in {.
deed, like a Horatio Alger or Oliver
Optic rovel fer boys.
Born Of poor parents, he put him.
self through college, fought an up
hill battle to become successful
newspaper editor and publisher,
gained leadership in politics OF his
home community and state, and
finally attained his boyhood ambi-
ton.
I For Harding, as a lad OF IL, had
promised his chums he some day
would be the nations chief execu-
tive. =.
Born In Ohio
! Harding was born on his grand
fathers farm. near Blooming Grove,
Z! Morrow COUNTY, >Ohio., November 2,
1855.
His father, DR.. George Tyron Har-
ding, still living, was a country
physician whose practice was so
small that he was forced to work in
the fields to make ends meet.
Mrs. Phoebe Elizabeth Dickerson
Harding, his mother. was home;
loving, industrious woman or deep
religious convictions. She profess
ed the Adventist creed. From her
Warren inherited many Of the traits
so characteristic of him in later life.
!; Both father and mother came OF a
long line of sturdy pioneers. DR..
Harding was Of Scotch descent
while his wife was Of Dutch stock.
Warren was the eldest Of eight
children. When he was 5, the fam
lily moved to the neighboring WILL
age of Caledonia, o.
At 4, he had learned to read, and
was memorizing long poems. He
always was anxious to speak his
piece" at neighborhood gatherings.
But he wasn't the "goody, goody"
type. He could swim further and
dive deeper than any of his chums
at the "ol' swimmin' hole" in Whet-
stone creek. And it seems he could
chew tobacco better than any Of
them.
Worked Through School
When<he was IA, lanky. ungain-
lly youth more than six feet tall, he
matriculated for an academic course
at Ohio Central College in Iberna.
That long since has closed its doors.
Several times, when 'he couldn't
find enough odd jobs, he was forced
to quit school. But always, after
something turned up, he would re-
turn to his books. He was gradual
ed with a B. s. degree when he was
In.
For q year he taught school. Then
he read law for another year,
His father bought the Marion co.,
Star, then a struggling little week
lily paper, at a sheriff's sale. War
rem, in college, edited a school pa
per. He became editor of the Star,
which his father presented to him.
Against great financial odds, he
conducted the paper for some time:
But he was forced eventually to sell
liz. He took q reportional position
on the Marion Mirror, but POLITICAL
differences with the owner resulted
in mis- discharge.
Re Purchases paper
Harding and Jack Warwick, now
prominent in Ohio newspaper cir ..
Giles, later scraped-together 5000
and bought, the Star again. Soon
after Harding took over WarwicKs
interest.
formerly Miss Florence elizabeth
King, whom he married In 1881
against her fathers wishes, Hard :
small town daily.
Meanwhile he was dabbling in
politics. In 1900 he became a. state
senator. He served two terms
Then he was indicted into the
lieutenant governors office. In 1910
he ran for governor but was de-
He rose rapidly in Republican
councils. In 1914 the people of his
natal state sent him to the United
states Senate.
Six years later saw him put forth
as q compromise candidate for the
Republican presidential nomination
at the convention i'm Chicago. He
won the nomination and rode into
The White House in the Republican
tidal wave that swept the country
six. months later. James M. Cox
former governor Of Ohio, was his
DeInocatic opponent.
Has Big Tasks
A mighty task confronted Warren
G. Harding when he entered the
White House.
America had entered upon the
period Of reconstruction following
the greatest war in all history. II
still technically was at war with
Germany and Austria, although hos
Utilities had ceased more than two
years before, for no treaty had been
) signed between It and these nations
There were problems Of unem
ploymeht and national finance that
must be attended to Immediately.
Harding, with the same indomi
table spirit that carried him through
the storms of early life, put his
shoulder to the wheel of state
Against the advice OF his personal
physician. Brig. Gen. Charles q
Sawyer, re was at his desk FOR
months from early In the morning
until midnight. There were times