The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-08-03

Iberia, Ohio. He tried school teach
ing for 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 first life interests
were centered thereafter. Mr.. Hard
ing's ambition was to become a pub
Usher, and it was realized at the age
of 19, when he bid in the Marion
Star at sheriff's sale. The paper
was purchased under a heavy mort
gage and his friends have often said
that the struggles and hardships
which were his in making this paper
success had much to do in fash
ioning his character and developing
broad patience and tolerance which
were his chief characteristics.
Whatever his other attainments,
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 pottering
about composing room. On his first
trip back home after his inaugural
ton he went to the Star Office, pulled
off his coat, rolled up his sleeves,
borrowed n chew of tobacco and help
ed make up" the paper. His luck
charm. was a printers rule, carried
always in vest pocket.
Went Into Politics.
AS his ambition had carried him
into the ranks of publishers, so his
fancy took him into the realm of
politics. From the first he was an
ardent partisan and his insistence
upon wearing a "stovc pipe" hat, the
badge of support of James G. Blaine,
while reporter on Democratic
newspaper, brought him a sharp rep
rimand from his chief, who held it to
be inconsistent for worker of
Democratic paper to so prominently
display the symbol Of his Republican,
ism.
The future presidents ability as
stump speaker won him early rec
ognition fro mhis 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 defeat,
though he commanded an unexpected
vote. Mr.. Harding's first political Of
flee was that Of Ohio state senator,
to which he was elected at the age
OF thirty-four. He served two terms
and later was elected lieutenant gov
ernor of his state. In 1910 he sought
the governorship but was defeated.
Elected President. Il
In 1914 he was elected to the Unit |
ed States senate, where he served six
years, much of the time as mem
Der OF the important foreign rela-
tons committee. From this place he
was elevated to the presidency, the
hrst senator to be elected chief cx-
ecutive.
Early in his years of political
service he met William mckinley to |
whom his close friends have most
often likened him, and with whom
he had in common predominant
passion for obliteration of class and
sectional lines. A friendship spran-
up between the two men. Mr.. Hard
ing also was close in later years to
Theodore Roosevelt, Senators Fora
ker and Penrose and others high in
his party counsels.
The President was a lifelong Ban
list, and was a trustee of his home
church in Marion. He also had been
q member of the Elk and Moose fra
ternlties for years and after his cleo
ton as president he became thirty
second degree Mason and a Shriner.
Golf was his favorite recreation.
out he also liked to fish, although his
opportunities to that sport were lin
ted after he came to the White
House. He played hard and possess
ID, the faculty of putting all his
vorries behind him during his recre-
'tion hours.