“Dear Old Jumbo, your eight years of devotion and faithfulness have emphasized the realization that a good dog’s life is all too short—and you were a good dog! You taught us anew how a fine, noble dog like you can win his way to human hearts and grow attachments most painful to have severed.”
One romance, and only one, entered into the life of editor Harding, and his ardent courtship of Amos Kling’s cherished daughter brought down upon his head the enmity of her father. In 1891, when Mr. Harding was twenty-five, despite all opposition, they were married in the little house that they called home during their lives in Marion. His wife’s influence was the greatest factor in all of his achievements. Her contribution to his paper was of the greatest value.
Soon after their marriage, Mr. Harding became ill and the circulation manager quit. Mrs. Harding had always contended that this end of the business was not properly productive. There was no delivery. Papers were sold over the counter in the business office. So in this crisis she decided to take a hand in matters for a few days to help out. She gathered some boys for carriers, installed a carrier system, started them out, and made them collect regularly. The people who did not pay for their papers received no further service until they did pay. Later, she organized the carriers into a newsboys’ club, got them a meeting place, and helped them in every possible way, even now and then administering a much-needed spanking, a scrubbing, or a patch, in the interest of their moral and physical welfare. She went to the job for a few days, but stayed fourteen years and saw her plans develop the circulation into profitable returns and many of the little carriers into splendid men.
One of these, a little red-headed youngster, claimed the particular interest of the editor and his wife, and when Mr. Harding went to Columbus to the state Senate they took him along, and soon he was serving as a page and receiving five dollars a day during the session. His father was dead, and his mother earning her own way. He sent her his wages, and she saved them for him, and later on, when he was a little older, she sent him to Staunton Military Academy because of his bent for military life. This red-headed carrier boy is Major Baldinger of the Air Service, who has had a wide experience of service and won distinction, and when President Harding came to the White House it happened that Major Baldinger was assigned there as military aide. He accompanied the President and his wife upon their journeys and was assigned to attend Mrs. Harding on her sad journeys to Marion; and after she no longer needed him, he again took up his duties at the White House.
As soon as the Marion Star got upon its financial feet, politics claimed its editor, and his steady rise in the political arena was but natural to a man of his prominence in his community. His profession as a writer, editor, printer, and business man identified with many of the projects that were developing in his state, all brought him into a continually widening circle of community and public interests. Always an active Republican, his service in the state Senate, to which he was elected in 1899 and reëlected in 1901, served to make him stand out as a coming man. His first political speech brought forth the prediction that he would some day be President, and political favour began to stalk his steps.
He was elected Lieutenant Governor of Ohio in 1904, with Governor Myron T. Herrick, but was defeated in his race for the Governorship by Judson Harmon in 1910.
Mr. Harding took all of his public duties seriously and never ceased his efforts to cope with all situations. He travelled extensively, going three times abroad, visiting most of the European countries, not wholly for the sake of the pleasure, but to study for himself the systems of government, of employment, of wages. After his election to the United States Senate, when he defeated Foraker, and before taking his seat, he visited the Hawaiian Islands to get first-hand knowledge of the production and distribution of sugar.
In the course of his public life, he spoke in almost every state in the Union and to groups representing practically every industry.
Always pleasing and forceful as a speaker, his appearance added materially to his popularity upon the rostrum. A deep carrying voice, impressive manner, and the knack of winning his hearers brought him always an appreciative audience.
His presentation of William Howard Taft’s name for renomination at the Chicago Convention of 1912, the most tumultuous convention in the annals of Republican history, his chairmanship of the Republican National Convention four years later, his notable speech, and his poise and parliamentary skill in presiding over that body are all matters of political history.