President Warren Harding

Easton Press Warren Harding books

The Shadow of Blooming Grove: Warren Harding and His Times - Francis Russell - 1988

President Warren G. Harding biography

Warren Gamaliel Harding (1865-1923), twenty-ninth President of the United Sates, born on a farm near Corsica (Blooming Grove), Morrow County, Ohio, and educated at Ohio Central College. He was editor of the college paper and, on leaving school in 1882, taught for a year and then entered the printing trade, becoming first compositor and then pressman. He later became a reporter and editorial writer at the Marion Star and in 1884 purchased this newspaper. He acted as it editor and increased its circulation, and after it had developed into a profitable business, transferred ownership of it to the Harding Publishing Company. He himself became president of this company, but gave many shares of stock to his employees.

Warren G. Harding was elected Ohio State senator in 1900 and re-elected in 1902, and was elected lieutenant governor in 1904; he was defeated as candidate for governor in 1910. In 1914 Warren Harding ran against his political patron Joseph B. Foraker in the Republican primaries for U.S. senator, and having won the nomination was elected with a plurality of more than 100,000 votes over his Democratic opponent. In the Senate Warren Harding favored protective tariffs and the arming of American merchant ships during World War I; after the war he opposed the entry of the United States into the League of Nations, and advocated reduction of excess-profits taxes. In the National Convention of the Republican Party in 1920, Warren Harding was nominated for the Presidency of the United States on the tenth ballot. He did little traveling, conducting a front porch campaign from his home. His platform consisted largely of two planks: United States isolation from European politics, and specifically from the League of Nations; and a quick return to peace time economic and political conditions, epitomized as "back to normalcy". His opponent, James M. Cox, advocated continuance of Woodrow Wilson's policies and United States entry into the League of Nations. Warren Harding was elected by an enormous majority: more than sixteen million popular votes to nine million, and 404 electoral votes to 127.

The principal international events of Warren Harding's administration were the establishment of peace with Germany, rejection of membership by the United States into the League of Nations, although President Harding advocated American participation in the World Court, and the calling of an international conference in Washington to discuss limitation of naval armaments. In domestic affairs the administration was marked by corruption in offices of many Presidential appointees, notably the secretary of interior, Albert Bacon Fall, who was accused and convicted of having accepted a $100,000 bribe in connection with the leasing of the Teapot Dome and Elk Hills oil reserves.

In July, 1923, President Harding undertook a tour of the western United States and Alaska. On the return trip he was taken ill at Grant's Pass, Oregon; he was removed to San Francisco where he died on August 2.

 

The Shadow of Blooming Grove

The Shadow of Blooming Grove by Francis Russell offers a compelling exploration of the life and presidency of Warren G. Harding, shedding light on one of the most enigmatic figures in American political history. Drawing upon extensive research and insightful analysis, Russell provides readers with a nuanced portrait of Harding, from his humble beginnings in Ohio to his ascension to the highest office in the land. Russell delves into Harding's complex personality and political career, revealing the contradictions and controversies that surrounded him. Despite his affable demeanor and promise of a "return to normalcy" after the tumult of World War I, Harding's presidency was marred by scandal and corruption, including the infamous Teapot Dome scandal, which tarnished his reputation and legacy.

Through vivid storytelling and rich historical detail, Russell paints a vivid picture of the era known as the "Roaring Twenties," exploring the social, economic, and cultural transformations that defined Harding's presidency. From the rise of consumer culture to the struggles for civil rights and women's suffrage, Russell situates Harding's administration within the broader context of American society during the early 20th century.

Moreover, Russell offers insight into Harding's foreign policy, including his efforts to promote disarmament and peace in the aftermath of World War I. Despite his limited experience in international affairs, Harding sought to navigate the complexities of global diplomacy, advocating for a more restrained approach to foreign intervention. The Shadow of Blooming Grove is not only a biography of Harding but also a captivating narrative of an era marked by rapid change and shifting social dynamics. Through Russell's masterful storytelling and rigorous scholarship, readers gain a deeper understanding of Harding's presidency and its lasting impact on American politics and society. From his rise to power to the scandals that overshadowed his administration, Harding's story is a fascinating chapter in the annals of American history, brought to life in vivid detail by Francis Russell.

Warren Harding quotes

"America's present need is not heroics, but healing; not nostrums, but normalcy; not revolution, but restoration."
"I don't know much about Americanism, but it's a damn good word with which to carry an election."
"The greatest of all human benefits conferred upon mankind are bestowed by those who consecrate their lives to the service of their fellows."
"I am not fit for this office and never should have been here."
"Our most dangerous tendency is to expect too much of government, and at the same time do for it too little."
"I have no trouble with my enemies. I can take care of my enemies in a fight. But my friends, my goddamn friends, they're the ones who keep me walking the floor at nights!"
"America's present need is not heroics, but healing; not nostrums, but normalcy; not revolution, but restoration."
"It is not strange... to mistake change for progress."
"I have never been able to understand how a man who knew the limitations of human effort could have indulged in the illusions of divinity."
"I have never been able to discover that there was anything disgraceful in being a colored man. But I have often found it inconvenient - in America."