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.

10/30/2020

Saturday, October 30, 1920 (MIDDLETOWN, DAYTON, SPRINGFIELD, COLUMBUS)

This leg of Harding's campaign trip takes him from Cincinnati to Columbus.

Middletown, Ohio

En route from Cincinnati to Dayton, Senator Harding stopped in Middletown for a 15-minute address to more than 5,000 people, who blocked the right-of-way and overflowed into the side streets in all directions. It was an ovation...and applause interrupted his brief address time after time as he discussed some of the issues of the campaign of Americanism against internationalism. (Dayton Herald)

Dayton, Ohio

The Harding special on which Senator Harding and several prominent party leaders are making a tour of Ohio cities arrived in Dayton shortly after 1:30...and the Republican Presidential nominee was greeted by a crowd at Union Station variously estimated at from 8,000 to 10,000. (Dayton Herald)


Governor Cox's newspaper covered the stop as well: Harding "advised his audience at Union Station Saturday afternoon that he has glad to see them 'this morning.' The train to which his car was attached was a few minutes late in arriving and it was then 2 p.m. After 'wiggling and wobbling' on the time of the day, Senator Harding, disregarding campaign issues, told his bearers that he did not think he nor any other man was big enough to run the government of the United States..." (Dayton Daily News)

Hamilton, Ohio

An ovation surpassing anything of its kind in the history of Butler county, Democratic stronghold of Ohio, greeted Senator Warren G. Harding...upon his arrival in Hamilton shortly after 3 o'clock this afternoon. He was greeted by thousands when his train stopped at Fourth and High streets in that city where he talked for fifteen minutes. (Dayton Herald)

Springfield, Ohio

At Springfield Harding spoke to a crowd of 3000 in the Auditorium. (Dayton Daily News)

Columbus, Ohio

Columbus gave Senator Warren G. Harding...a more than rousing reception...when he gave utterance to the final words of the national campaign at Memorial hall, before an audience which jammed every available space and found itself crowding the street outside. The nominee was greeted at the union station by a cheering crowd and his progress to the Deshler hotel and later to Memorial hall was acclaimed by admiring thousands. (Columbus Dispatch)

Sources:
  • "Columbus Hears Final Salvos from Senator Harding." Columbus Dispatch. 31 October 1920.
  • "First Concern Is for America." Marion Star. 30 October 1920.
  • "Greeted by Thousands." Dayton Herald. 30 October 1920.
  • "Harding Heard by Dayton People on Trip Through Here." Dayton Herald. 30 October 1920.
  • "Harding to Close Campaign With Speech in Columbus Tonight." Columbus Dispatch. 30 October 1920.
  • "Harding Winds Up Campaign in Columbus." Dayton Daily News. 31 October 1920.
  • "Sen. Harding Not Sure of Time of Day." Dayton Daily News. 31 October 1920.
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