Biography of Warren Gamaliel Harding


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Harding, Warren Gamaliel. Twenty-ninth president of the United States. Son of George Tryon Harding, a physician. Was born at Corsica, Morrow County, OH, November 2, 1865. He attended Ohio Central College at Iberia, 1879-82. Entered the newspaper business at Marion, 1884, and later became editor and publisher of the "Marion Star." He was member of the Ohio state senate, 1900-04, lieutenant-governor of Ohio, 1904-06, and Republican candidate for governor, 1910. In 1914 Harding was elected United States senator for the term 1915-21. By the Republican National Convention, held at Chicago in June 1920, Harding was nominated for president. Strongly opposing the unconditional ratification of the Versailles Peace Treaty and acceptance of the League of Nations, he won overwhelming endorsement at the polls. Out of a popular vote of 27,000,000, he received upwards of 16,000,000, giving him a majority of more than 7,000,000 over J. M. Cox, his Democratic opponent. In his inaugural address on March 4, 1921, President Harding urged a return to normalcy. Upon his invitation, delegates of the leading nations met at an arms conference in Washington, November 1921, to consider the reduction of naval armaments and international relations in the Pacific. While returning from a tour of the western states and Alaska, Mr. Harding became ill and died suddenly at San Francisco on August 2, 1923.