The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-02-22
Begin at the Beginning.

We have received q circular, addressed to
editors ar the publishers of arthmetics, setting
forth the importance ofuniformity in the weights
and measures employed by che civilized world.
Among its sixty-one signers we find eight presi-
dents and thirty professors of colleges ten prln-
cipals of high schools; an agent and secretary
of State boards Of education; school superin-
tendent; two State geologsts; member of the
Coast Survey; rear admiral; the secretary of
the Smithsonian; and four private citizens who
have made their names eminent in science.
They solicit our attention to the tollow wing
iacts:-
l. The decimal system of weights and measures
winch has the metre for It's base is in partial
elusive use in nearly ali the countries OF Europe and
2. In almost every department of science these
weights and measures are sometimes employed,
while in some departments ell others are obsolete.
The terms OF the system are gradually becoming
more common, and will doubtless at no distant day
be met with in lopular journals
4. Pre- rtiminary steps hsYe been taken by two diff
ferent branches of the United States Government
looking to the possible adoption IN this country of
tins, or similar system, IN pace OF the incongru
Gus weights and measures IN In case of such
an adoption by the Government, the necessary ln-
convenience at ending the change by the people will
be very largely diminished, II the metrcal system
sbalI have been previously taught IN the schools.
g. This system is however, let out from many of
our best arithmetics, and IN most OF tae remainder
II not IN all OF them, 1t is very imperfectly de-
veoped.
In view of these facts the signers urge:-
l. That TO the arithmetics now published an ap.
pendiX be at once added that shall contain tull
explanation OF the "Metrlca System Weights and
Measures" and of their relation TO the weights ana
measures now IN common use, and that the whole be
illusta ated by suitable and numerous examples.
2. That in every revised edit on OF arthmehcs now
used, and in every new arithmetic proper develop
meDt of tins system have pace IN the body of the
work, and that IN examples for the practice occur
ring GREATER there be requent reference to these
weights and measures
We uotiId uladIv tha rnnvan1ant In favor of
uniform system OF weights and measures eXpe-
dted by means still more radical and compre-
hensive. The eminent men who concur in the
appeal begin at the right end when they propose
TO reform our unwieldly system by training in a
better one the generation which is to work the
computations of commerce, art, and science,
after our own adult states are broken, and our
worn-out scales have kicked the beam. "Mdr-
ina reUerep.tid plteriS debet'n-take care of the
sophomores and the savans will take care Of
themselves.
Through the daily drudgeries Of business, and
the painful pilgrimages of science, the mature
man Of the nineteenth century carries burden
which hampers him at every step, which has
no plea of necessity to make il tolerable, no adj
vantage to compensate 1t, but which is still
borne as unconsclously as the Ionderous Mexi.
can saddle is borne by native mule, ignorant
OF anything lighter since his colthood. Perhaps
in the present, as in all other reforms, the most
hopeless obstacle to be encountered by its
friends lies in the fact that people born into q
faulty system grow up in ignorance Of its de-
fects, and insensible OF its discomforts Fortu-
nate, indeed, will it be for the reform, the re-
formers, and the reiormable, if an adult
| generation stop at Indifference to Its advan-
tages, instead Of going on to an absolute COM
! placency with them. In dealing with children
the case Is much more hopeful. ..Fr....tl
The reformer OF weights and measures, who
meets prescription, prejudice pseudo-conserva-
! tlsm OF all kinds among the fathers finds no.
thing but fairfield among the boys. In the
scboolroom be disturbs no surveyor with the
NJ Qo1A
! no grocer objects TO burning his pecks and
bushels for him; no tailor is appalled, at the ex-
! pense of new set OF tapes and the Job of learn
Ing the new marks on them; here the reformer
sets no carpenter trembling for the ntelligbility
| OF his foot-rues; he puts no navigator in stew
| over his log; he arrays AGAINST him no publ
| cans stoups and barrels; he terrifes no coal
yender with the bill for a new plattorm-scale,
and the necessity Of selling his weights as old
iron; he treads on the toes of nobody's laziness
nobodys tondness tor ancient methods, sym
bols, and nomenclature. On the elementary
benches he finds the first jury which has not
made up its mind and expressed its opinion. :
II there be any partality it Is on his side; for
unless boys have greatly changed since we our
selves ranked in their noble army OF martyrs,
! the man who enters a school room with propo
sails TO simplify the way through thai meIan
choly morass of Enticks territory known as
reduction" and "denomlnate fractions must
indeed, be hailed as q bearer OF glad tidings
So, then, If the signers or the circular car
induce arlthmeticmakers to insert sections ol
appendices descriptive of the rational systen
OF weights and measures, there is no doubt o
their success in thoroughly disgusting the mex
generation which is to gauge and pose thu
world with the system-or, more accurately
the no-systen- now In use among Anglo-SaxoI
nations. Slngularly enough, considering thei
weights and measures, these are also he scen
4 tihc and commercial nations of Christendom.
The signers show we'll justided conidenc
in the intrinsic reasonableness OF their move
ment when they, ask ior II simply 'explana
of children. Nothing else is necessary. Gran
those, and the pupil will not wait for barris
ter's plea in behalf of It's excellenCes to max
him thoroughly in love with method of dc
nominate numbers which, compared with tina
now in vogue among us and the English, j
as superior for all the purposes OF practica
lie and science as the decimal system of nots
| ton BY Arabic numerals to the Roman, en-
ploying the letters OF the alphabet a