The Washington herald., 1916-11-01
Limited Means But Unlimited
Determination"
BY ORIsON SWEET MARDEN,


A biographer says that when "Stonewalp' Jack
son went to West Point one could read in his
awkward figure and in his grim face the determi-
nation, 81 have come to stay"
Jackson's whole course at the academy proved
the strength of his purpose. Owing to his pre-
vious 'meager education he was very low in his
class standing when he entered. But so earnest
was he in his determination to succeed that just
before TAPS" lights out) sounded, he would pile
coal high on his crate, and after the lights were
out he would lie the floor with his head close
to the fire studying far into the night
"He rose steadily year by year" said class
mate, until we used to say, if had to stay an
other year old Jack would be at the head of the
class" So well did he make up his deficiencies
that he was graduated seventeenth in a class of
seventy.
Among the rules of conduct which young
Jackson compiled for his guidance was this one:
"You may be whatever you resolve to be-" In
spite of temptations, disappointments and him
drance Jackson lived up to his youthful resolu-
tions.
How many youths start out with the grim de-
termination to succeed that young Jackson
brought to his studies at West Pointl What a
difference there is in the expression in the faces
of the youths now entering academies and col
leges every yearl In some of them one can read
this: II shall stay if everything goes smoothly
and l get plenty of money from home; but if the
money is not forthcoming and l have to go out
and earn it or if the work is too hard will quit &"
In others we read the same grim determination
which means, it did with Jackson at West
Point, "I have come to stay" "I have come to
get from this academic course everything that il
can possibly yield"
Limited means but unlimited determination"
is a..
South for poor boys and poor girls those who
are struggling desperately to get start in the
world.
This has been the slogan of many poor boy
and poor girl who has made a desperate fight
for place in the And what an inspiring, en-
couraging slogan it is! Limited means but un-
limited determination"
After ALL limited means are unimportant COM
pared with unlimited determination. An unlim-
tied determination overcome all obstacles; il
can cure the disease of poverty and wipe out lin
itatons because it can make means; it can make
road to your goal where you may not now see
the way.
Limited means are match, no serious handi-
cap for unlimited determination. Give a poor boy
the alphabet, good health and unlimited deter
minatlon and there is no keeping him back There
is placing limits to his career, for he has the
tOOIo lOI lHC "OIhlHS out OF d superb destiny.
On every hand boys and girls, men and women,
are complaining that they cannot get on in the
world, that they have chance to lift themselves
out OF commonness and the limitations of their
environment because of their limited means NV
friends, it is not the limited means that is keeping
you back so much the limited determination. II
you had unlimited determination the limited
means wouldn't look so formidable to YOU
wouldn't count when pitted against your deter
mination
Any one who takes for his slogan "Limi:cL !
means but unlimited determination" and lets it
ring continually in his ears. especially the unlim-
tied determination part of it, can not be downed
can not be held back from the achievement of his
purpose. For that. one who is on fire with his
aim, who never recognizes defeat, who cannot be
discouraged, stopped, or turned aside. means do
not count and obstacles are of no avail He is
going straight to his goal