Representative William Lloyd Harding View All Years

GOVERNOR W. L. HARDING

MR. SPEAKER: Your committee, appointed to prepare suitable resolutions commemorating the life, character and public services of the Honorable Governor W. L. Harding, Governor of Iowa, beg leave to submit the following:

Governor W. L. Harding, age 57, Governor of Iowa from 1917 to 1921, died at his home in Des Moines, Iowa, on Monday, December 17, 1934. Although he had been ill since September, following a heart attack, suffered after a campaign address at Crawfordsville, Indiana, his death was unexpected.

Governor Harding was elected from Woodbury county to the House of Representatives where he served six years. He then became a candidate for lieutenant governor and won his post in 1912 and was re-elected in 1914. Two years later he became candidate for governor and won the post in one of the hottest campaigns in recent Iowa history.

Governor Harding, the war-time governor, was born October 3, 1877, near Sibley, Iowa, and was the son of Mr. and Mrs. O. B. Harding who had come to Iowa from Pennsylvania. He graduated from Morningside College and the University of South Dakota. Governor Harding received his preliminary education in public schools.

He began the practice of law in Sioux City with the firm of Oliver, Harding & Oliver and at one time was associated with James Kindig, later a supreme court justice. Governor Harding practiced law in Des Moines where he made his home after becoming governor.

He was a gifted public speaker and campaigned the country in favor of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence waterways, and has been speaker for the Republican National Committee in every campaign since 1920.

Former Governor Harding’s immediate family consist of Mrs. Harding and a daughter, Barbara, a student at the State University of Iowa.

The Des Moines funeral services were held Thursday afternoon at Dunn’s Funeral Home. The body lay in state at the Capitol, Thursday morning before the services in Des Moines and was then taken to Sioux City for burial. Brief services were held there.

Deep regret was expressed by every one who knew Governor Harding because he was an able statesman, a congenial, loyal and sympathetic friend of the state and nation. He was one of the most forceful speakers Iowa has ever known and an able and fearless executive. When the final record of his administration is written it will rank among the greatest in the history of the state.

In the passing of the war-time Governor, Iowa has lost an honored, upright and beloved citizen.

Therefore, Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Forty-sixth General Assembly, That the state has lost a valuable citizen and we bear unanimous witness of his upright life, his wisdom, and his honorable service to his state. In the years of his service as an official his conduct was exemplary in every respect. This is the reason that we recommend and honor him today.

Be It Further Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be spread upon Journal of the House and that the Chief Clerk be directed to forward an enrolled copy to the widow of the deceased.

DON W. BURINGTON,

JOHN W. MOORE,

MATT B. RIDDELL,

Committee.

Unanimously adopted, April 23, 1935.