PRESIDENT HARDING.

Northern Advocate, 28 May 1921, Page 4

PRESIDENT HARDING.

A NEWSPAPER TRIBUTE

George 'H. Van Vleet- vica-presi. dent and general manage of the Harding Publishing Co., which owns and - jDublishes the "Marion Star," President Harding's newspaper, has published a signed editorial in that paper giving some of'the characteristics of his chief. iMr Van Vleet has been associated with Mr Hai'ding since the latter's early 'boyhood. He says:— "It ha s been the great privilege of the writer, as a result of an acquaintance of almost four decades, including a close association of almost three, to observe the ti'ansition from the typesetter in a country printing officje at seventeen to the j presidency at fifty-five. "The study of the advance, with here and there a temporary pause, has been fascinating fn its interest. "The printer is soon a publisher, »i s commandeered for country office by his party and defeated, is elected to the Ohio Senate, is chosen lieutenant Governor, is defeated for governor, is elected to 'theStates Senate, 'acts as chairman of the Republican Rational 'Convention of 1916, is given an unprecedented vote by x the nation and to-day becomes president"ln a land where attainment to high political honours comes through popular preferment, such a transition does not come by chance, nor does it come to one who simply trai.s opportunity. > "It is possible only to one of mer:t and worth. It i s posisble only to one who builds and grows, year after year, just as this practically se.ftaught bov of seventeen built and crew and battled for success for the joy of attainment rather than the worldly emoluments which might result therefrom.

"There may he exceptions, but as a rule the man who attains such a success will 'be found to be a man among men, steadfast in friendship, str.vght-forward, fair-minded, considerate of the. rights of others, free from envy 'and jealouiy, generous in thought and ac-t. kindly in expression, temperate in a 1 ways and unswervingly fot right because it is right. "He will -despise sham, hypocrisy, demagogcry. "He will have a reverence for things holy, and. his religion will be Tf.;-. of practice,.yather th?n precept. '•He must be human and have a S e v;e of humour. "iHe must make .'miotakes. for oth.':i-wi.se he would ba impossible. "He must have a reasoning mind and'possess a broad vision. "(He must have the moral courage to hold the common good of all above that of class. "He must be willing to ta'ke counsel -but must have the -stamina to reserve to himself the right to weigh, it. "It is because our long association with Warren G. Harding enable s us to know him as he is that we felt that he would go far, as he has goije; it is .because we know him for what he is that we feel that he will carry on ever weighing the thought and advice and counsel of to-day against the probable verdict of the future. • "iFor, after all, it is the verdict of posterity that give s the truest line on the measure of achievement."