Houma Ceres. [volume] (Houma, Parish of Terrebonne, La.) 1855-18??, 1857-01-10
PARISH OF TERREBONNE, SATURDAY, JANUARY TO- 1857
Refsr. OF Weights and Measures.

Reform Of Weights and Measures.
We really hope that Congress will soon
cease 10 fritter away valuable time in
making party speeches, At the expense Of
the people, instead of doing real useful
work, in reforming bad, and enacting ne
cessary new laws for their benefit. 1t
will be shame if this Congress adjourns
without doing something to effect reform
in our conglomerate weight and measure
statutes. The most intelligent men 10
our country have been calling for such a
reform for number of years the measure
would be popular one, because it is good !;
and as it is equally acceptable to members
Of all political parties, we hope they will
soon show some zeal for such worthy
object Of legislation.
We do not care so much for tho names
that may be adopted for different weights.
We want . simple uniform system for
both weights and measures, and as the
centessimal system is the most simple, let
it be adopted. We really hope, however,
that in tho adoption of the centessimai
system, the terms Of the French, for which
some Of our scientific sauans seem to have
such strong prediction, on account Of
their jaw-breaking extensiveness, will not
be adopted. -. ...-..- t-.
Milimetre, centilitre, decaltre, myrioli.
tire, also gramme, miligrxmme, cent?
gramme, chiliagramme, and myriogramme,
French terms. which our professors of che.
mistry now employ too often, may 90 very
well for, men who delight in words sol
wondrous length and laundering sound, u
to amaze the rustics, but they are not suit.
able for such business.like people as
ours. They are too long, have a too near
resemblance of sound, and would lead to
frequent mistakes in business. The same
terms as those now employed in ou'
weights and mea sures should be retained,
only their standard should be changed.
Our centessimal system Of coinage is the
best and most simple in the world mills,
cents, dollars, are short words, distinct, and
few in number, just suited to business
people. Let the same objects be kept ia
view in the terms adopted for weights and
measures. Tho terms inch, foot, yard,
rod, and mile may still be retained ia
centessimal linear measure and SO may
gill, pint, quart, gallon, and bushel. in
measures of capacity. These terms are
short and very distinct, excellen, for busi.
ness purposes. -.....s.t -....', -,
Congress as a duty should now take ur
this subject SO that the people may be in.
strucied 10 their duties, as many Of the
States have passed laws relating to weights
and measures, while Congress alone ha.
the constitutional power to pass such laws
Take up any work on weights and meas.
ures, and we find that Maryland, Pennsyl.
vania, Ohio, and New York have standards
Of their own, all Of which are unconstitu.
tional If they conflict with those Of the
United States, and if they do not they are
useless-nonsensical. y
In Philadelphia bushel Of oats is reck.
oned at "a lbs, in Ohio, 80 lbs; in Mary
land the marine tun is 1000 lbs, in Penn
sylvania 4 tun is 1000 lbs, while the
United States tun is 224O lbs. The State
Of New York has a special law for liquid
measure, lbs. Of pure water being the
standard for gallon /; It has also stan
dard bushel Of dry measure, amounting Ia
22ll.e4 cubic inches-equal to so lbs. o.
pure watcr-while the United State.
bushel is 2l5O-42 cubic inches.
A reform Of our weights and measures
is positively demanded, so that we may
have uniform system, clear and simple,
established throug ghout our country.
7rFr -5 81 fSeientine American.