Evening star., 1923-08-02
PRESIDENTS RECORD
ONE OF TRIUMPHS In
MANY GREAT ISSUES
Arms Parley snd Success of
Budget System Outstanding
Features OF career.

republican, national convention to be
held next year was confidently pre-
dicted by leaders of the republican
party.
President Harding was the dark
horse" of the republican national con-
vention meeting in Chicago in 1920. he
was the compromise candidate selected
when the supporters of Gen. Leonard
Wood. Gov. Lowden and Senator Hiram
Johnson had endeavored in vain to have
their candidates nominated. Some of
the influential republican leaders, at
conference in the Blackstone Hotel in
the early morning hours determined
upon upon Mr.. Harding. and he was
nominated by the convention within the
next twenty-four hours.
Ohio Farm Harding's Birthplace.
President Harding was horn on farm
near the little village of Blooming Grove,
Morrow county. Ohio, November 2, 1865,
He was by profession and occupation a
newspaperman and ne had the dis
tinction of being the first active mem
ber e this craft to be elected chief
magistrate. He likewise had the dis
tinction of being the first man to be
elevated to the White House directly
from the Senate.
The Presidents father. George T.
Harding, who still is living, has been
prominent as a physician and many
years of his life were spent a
country practitioner. DR.. Harding
Warren. as boy, grew up amid the
afterglow of the flaming patriotism
which preserved the Union.
The Hardings are of old colonial
stock, the family having originally
come from Scotland settling first in
mo a 70 n a
Wyoming valley in Pennsylvania.
where some of them were massacred
by the Indians. and others fought in
the revolutionary war. The Presi-
Dickerson. was descended from an
l9ld-time Holland Dutch family, the
wan Kinks. so that in Warren G..
Harding was found the blending of
the blood of the hardy Holland Dutch
and the fearless and libertyloving
Scotch.
Eldest of Eight Children.
The President was the eldest of
eight children, several of whom
achieved more than ordinary distinc-
ton. The country surrounding the
old homestead in Morrow county was
rough and thickly wooded, and in
parts was only partially settled.
Many of the inhabitants were en-
gagged in clearing land and shipping
timber to the cities, and il was at
such labor as telling trees, cutting
wood and piling it that the boy Hard
ing developed robust physique and
love for outdoors, both of which stood
him well throughout his public life.
Besides wood-chopping and rail-split-
ting, the boy worked hard at the va
rious odd jobs around the country
home. and in this manner early ac-
quired the habit of industry.
Warren attended the village school
until he was fourteen years of age.
when he entered the Ohio Central
College at Iberia. Ohio. from which
he graduated. 1t was while attending
this institution that he first displayed
years before graduation he edited
the college paper. His education.
however. was frequently interrupted
by the necessity of having to leave
college to earn additional means of
support, and it was only by the aid of
these periodical occupations that he
was enabled to complete his college
course.
Frequently after becoming a nation
al figure he spoke fondly of those
odd jobs during his college days.
According to him, he worked at times
cutting corn. painting barns and
houses for neighbors. painting signs,
and at one time drove a team. He
also helped in the work of grading
the roadbed of the T. and o. c. rail-
road, which was then building through
that community. At various times he
taught school in that district, and he
never failed to smile when telling Of
the days when he played horn in
the brass band of the village.
Learns Printers Trade.
At odd times he worked in the lit
tie printing office in the village. and
because of his enthusiasm and liking
for this craft he took occasion to
learn every detail in connection with
printing and presses. He soon be-
came an expert typesetter by hand,
and when the linotype was introduced
later he learned to operate the ma
chine. He was a practical pressman,
job printer, stereotyper, and after
becoming head of his own newspap per,
man. The. printers rule, which he
used when he was sticking type"
was carried by him up until the time
of his death as his lucky piece.
Warren was nineteen years of age
when bis father, seeking a wider field.
moved the family to Marion, Ohio,
the county seat Of an adjoining
county, in which place the family
continued to live. During the years
he was in the United States Senate
Mr.. Harding maintained his old home
in Marion.
When the family migrated to Mar
ion, Warren had completed his col
lege course. He was ambitious to
enter upon journalism as a life work
The Star was a struggling evening
paper. 1t was diminutive in size and
it's influence and circulation were cor
respondingly small. At the time
Marion was town of only 1000 popu-
lation, but this outlook in nowise
deferred young Harding in his pur-
pose. The paper was not making
money and its future was considered
most precarious. Nevertheless he
yearned to possess it and his father.
having faith in the young mans abil-
ity. and being anxious to give him a
start. lent his credit in assisting him
in taking over the paper. The con-
sideration, fortunately, was small
little more than enough to assume the
responsibility Of its indebtedness. To
make matters more doubtful as to the
success Of the undertaking the COM