Estimate: $800 - $1,200
Auction: November 12, 2020 10:00:00 AM EDT
Washington, D.C., December 4, no year (ca. 1918). 8vo. 6 pp. on five sheets. 8 x 5 in. (203 x 127 mm). Autograph letter, signed and initialed by Harding, as United States Senator from Ohio, to George Van Fleet, editor of Harding's newspaper, "The Marion Star"; on United States Senate, Memorandum stationery. Leaves misnumbered by Harding; old residue from a previous mount along left edge verso of each leaf.
Future twenty-ninth president Warren G. Harding writes to the editor of his newspaper "The Marion Star", George Van Fleet, concerning operations at the press: "Late Saturday night I talked with Woods and saw Frank, the pressman, and had a final report on going to press and the time of finishing. I am convinced that the hour is too late and the source of much of the complaint about delivery. Woods declared he could guarantee a successful delivery if he could begin on time...I wired you today to desire to close...not later than 3:10...Newark papers close at 3:05 or earlier and their press rooms are through by 4. Washington papers have their finals in process of printing at 3. If we could start the press at 3:20 we would avoid the annoyance of winter time which comes of the noisy delivery crowd. Let's do it. You will be less annoyed, the public will be better served, and the paper will gain by it...shift pages on the late adds. Leave out those which can't be handled essentially on time...I discover there is a lot of friction all around...call a meeting...and drive out the cross currents. Only harmony succeeds..." He finishes with a postscript, "Broke my machine on the way to Newark and left the car and took night train for Washington. Got into a wreck in Pennsylvania and reached here six or seven hours late..." A scarce and lengthy letter written during Harding's first and only term as Senator from Ohio.