A Note on My Harding Research

The information I posted during 2020 mostly covered Warren Harding's front-porch campaign from his home on Mt. Vernon Avenue in Marion, Ohio. The campaign officially started on July 31, 1920, and ended on September 25. The plan was to post daily on events that occurred exactly 100 years ago that day, but I shared other information as well. You'll have to read bottom-to-top if you want to follow the campaign from Day 1.

I used the open web for some of my research but also information accessible by using my library card or my subscription to www.newspapers.com. The most useful resource was the Marion Star, which was owned by the Hardings at the time of the campaign. I also browsed online copies of other newspapers like the New York Times, the Washington Star, and the Dayton Daily News, which, in 1920, was owned by Harding's Democratic opponent, Governor James M. Cox. I also posted information from other newspapers that covered Harding's trips away from Marion during the campaign.

Another great resource I used was Dale E. Cottrill's The Conciliator, a 1969 biography of the president that expanded an earlier bibliography of Harding's speeches. An online version is available at the Internet Archive, but I used a hard copy borrowed from the State Library of Ohio.

Readers should not construe anything posted here as a political statement on my part. I just like Harding as a historical topic.

8/15/2020

Sunday, August 15, 1920

A slow Sunday at Harding headquarters, although the week ahead is expected to be busy with three delegations scheduled for visits.

This editorial cartoon is published in today's Arizona Republican:

Harding (on the left) and Cox (on the right), on falls over the White House, speak in unison:

I'm really amazed and disgusted;
Your party is not to be trusted,
But while I deplore you,
The fall is before you,
And your rotten, old barrel will be busted.

The camera operator in the bottom left corner provides direction: "Hey! One of you register joy."

On his return from an overnight visit to Wheeling, West Virginia, Governor Cox's car is pulled over for speeding near Jacksontown, Ohio. The police officers want to take Cox into Jacksontown to appear in court; Cox orders his driver to drive on. "If you want me you will find me at the State House in Columbus." One of his travel companions explains that they had been told "that Republicans were 'laying for the Governor' and wanted to cause his arrest."

The New York Times explains that Cox joins Harding, Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft "in the 'speed' class.'" And the Marion Star publishes the following on August 28, 1920:

    Trying to arrest Cox for speeding, eh? Well, that's one thing poor Mr. Harding will never get arrested for. -- Charleston News and Courier

    Nope, not likely. But if it does, as once did happen, he will not allege a partisan conspiracy.

Sources:

  • "Barrel Racing--The Popular Sport." Arizona Republican. 15 August 1920.
  • "Hold Up Gov. Cox as Motor Speeder." New York Times. 16 August 1920.
  • The Hub of Commerce." Marion Star. 28 August 1920.
Cox is not the only Ohio governor who made news for speeding; video of the 2008 incident came to light after John Kasich was elected governor and he apologized for his behavior.

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