The Washington herald., 1916-11-06
"You Can't Do It."
BY ORIsoN SWEET MARpEN,

BY oRIsoN SWEET MARDEN. .
During the darkest days of the civil war Lin
coin was waited upon by delegation Of Western
men who protested violently against the policy
of the administration and urged immediate and
radical changes.
After listening patiently for some time, Lin
coin said: Gentlemen, suppose all the property
you are worth was in gold, and you had put it
into the hands of Blondin to carry across Niagara
on rope; would you shake the cable or keep
shouting out to him. 'Blondin stand up straighter;
Blondin stoop little more; go faster; lean lit
tie to the north; lean little more to the south !?
No. you would hold your breath. as well as your
tongue, and keep your hands off until he was
safely over"
Lincoln's courage and firmness in adhering to
any particular course after his mature judgment
had convinced him it the right course was
one of the things that helped make him a great
man. No man was ever more scurrilously abused,
more bitterly criticised than he during his entire
administration, but he never wavered for an in
slant in his policy policy which freed an en-
slaved race and opened up new and greater
future for country.
Many people do not have enough confidence
in their judgment to back it vigorously,
courageously. They allow every adverse criticism,
every wind of dissent to unsettle their decision
and turn them from their course.
Multitudes of men and women in this country
today who are either utter failures or only half
way successes, plodding along in mediocrity,
might have done splendid work if they had only
learned to trust their own judgment.
No matter what you do some one will differ
with you criticise, find fault or tell you that you
should have done just the opposite.
l never knew person to get very far in any
w fo act
judgment, who was always consulting others, re-
lying on other peoples opinion or advice as to
what he should Or should not do what he could
could not accomplish.
"You can't do it." has made more men with
good ability fail kept them in mediocrity, than
almost any other thing.
"You can't do it." will meet you everywhere
in life. At every new turn you propose to take
you will find some one to warn you away, telling
you not to take that road that it is impossible"
to go over it, else that it will lead to failure
Depart from precedent in any line; try to do
things in new way. to adopt new methods, new
machinery, new devices, and the slaves of prece-
dent, worshippers of the old and the tried who
are always in the majority will tell you not to
do it, that it is foolish expense, a doubtful ex-
pertinent.
Whenever an employe decides to start out for
ears by those who really believe they are his
friends.
'You can't do it." said young Wanamakers s
friends when he proposed to start into business
for himself, giving half of his entire capital as
salary to one frst-class clerk. you can't do it.
1t is not business. You will fail"
"You can't do it." confronts the ambitious
struggler whenever he attempts to get ahead, to
better his condition. "You can't do it," has kept
tens of thousands of poor boys and girls from
getting college education; has kept innumerable
men and women from developing their inherent
strength and measuring up to the limit of their
natural ability.
"You can't do it," has immeasurably retarded
the progress of the human race. All the progress
that has been made was made in spite of the
"You can't" philosophy. Tie impossible" has
been accomplished by those who secuted it,
trusted their own judgment, and Jared boldly
forth on their own strength.
1t is all a question of sef-reliance and courage.
These are the miracle workers.
"You can't do it doesn't phaze those who be-
ieve in themselves, who are made of winning ma
terial.