The Washington herald., 1917-06-18
By ORIsON SWEET MARDEN,
The Only Way.

when l wish to do a thing. I only
know one way-to keep at it TIL get
it."
These words, once spoken by her
self, tell the splendid life story of
Belva Lockwood. the great woman
pioneer who recently passed away in
Washington in her seth year.
Keeping at 1t until she got it, was
what raised her from the position of
poor couHtry teacher, way back in
the fifties, at a salary of Sc a week,
to the most successful woman lawyer
in America.
At "a Mrs. Belva Anpa Bennett
lockwood was a penniless young
widow with a child to support. Three
dollars week wouldn't do 1t even in
the fifties. Men doing the same work
as she was doing were getting twice
her salary and more. When she pro-
tested against the injustice, she was
told it couldn't be helped, that lit
was the way OF the world" and she
couldn't help herself.
But the young widow was made of
the stun that wins. She old help her
self, and all other women, too There
and then she began the struggle for
equal rights for women, which she
kept up for fifty years. She managed
to get college education, studied law,
became a successful lawyer, and Sc
cured the admission of women lawyers
to practice before the Supreme Court.
She herself was the first woman to
take advantage of the new law. She
secured equal pay for the soxes in
government employ, and was twice
nominated for the Presidency of the
United States by the Equal Rights
Party of the Pacific Slope.
Mrs. Lockwood remained a promi-
nuent figure in legal and political
circles to the end of her life, always a
successful fighter for justice and hu-
man rights. Il have never stopped
hshting." she said herself. my cause
was the cause of thousands of
women"
Her simple declaration. when I
wish TO do thing, 1 only know one
"ay-to keep at 1t till get it," re-
calls Gen. Grants famous utimatum.
l snail night 1t out on this line If it
takes all summer" Grant won. sim
ply because he kept at it. PreIimin-
ary defeats could not discourage him
because ne was bound TO win. And
he kept on fighting until he won
nannln
who can start things to every one tba+
can stick and hang. The persistenc,,
that can stick and hang in spite or
obstacles and repeated defeats fs a
rare quality. and it is only found in
winners.
When Congress and the whole co,,r-
try were in a state of exciten,en+
over President Johnson's detern1inas
ton to drive Secretary Stanton from
ais Cabinet because he had challenged
ms feactlonary war policy in the
South, Charles Sumner sent this char
acteristic message to the Secretarv.
Stanton sticks" And, in spjte or tho
fact that a successor had heen o.
pointed over his head, Stanton did
stick.
Men and women who leave their
mark on the world are made ~ stict-
ing material. They do not know how
to give up.
1t does not matter how MANY +aIar+s
you have, If you cannot stick and hang.
II you do not have the BULLDOG grin
you VIII relinquish your hoid when
great difficulties confront Won The
sticking talent is one of the indisnnr-
sable success qualities. 1t is really a
part Of genius.
1t Is not always the brilliant student
In school or college who wins ont No
matter II he is called dull and stunid
the boy who can stick and hang nntiI
ne masters a subject often far out
strips him in the life race. His ncr-
sistency wins out, where even genius
lacking this quality fails.
The chief reason why eyervbodv 10
not successful" said John Wana-
maker, lis the fact that they have not
enough persistency."
Observation and study have shown
me 1t has not been brilliant talented
people, but the stickers, the stavers the
hangers who never let 90 their grin
who have done the most for the world
Those who have done the big tbings
in the world. who have furnished tbs
yeast Of civilization, the rising anS
lifting power, have not been the great
geniuses, but the men and women t,bo
refused to quit when they were down,
to give up when they were discour.
aged, to turn back when others turned
back. They simply persisted, held. On
to the end. 1t is this holding on which
has made history.
Copyright, ler).
-----------