St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-07-11
Preparation for the Metric Reform

Suppose everybody to know upon
evidence commanding the utmost conf
dence, that this change is certainly go
ing to be made on or before some par
ticular date, for instance, December,
81, 1889. The largest part of the scale
beams, pOcket-rules, taps, dies and ma
chinetOols, of which such a bugbear is
made, will be worn out before that
time; and in making renewals previ-
ously any man of forethOught can man
age to avoid much extra expense. The
clothier can buy new measuring wand
one meter long, with yard marked on
the back for temporary use. Having
this continually before his eyes he will
gradually become accustomed to it, and
will learn to think in meters as well as
in yards without any great effort. The
grocer may get a double scale-beam,
such as Fairbanks & Co. have been
selling for many years to their South
American customers, with pounds
marked on one branch and kilos on the
other. By thus bridging over the chasm
between old and new, he can change
his language almost as easily as his
coat. New machine tools can be built
upon the metric basis and used on any
work which is to last long after 1890,
while the old machinery continues in
service for several years in the compile
ton or repair of former work, and for
everything of a temporary character,
which will not Outlive 1890. In this way
the change was made about ten years
ago at the watch factory at Waltham,
Mass. Experienced machinists say that
they could do likewise with but little
trouble. If everybody must have new
tools, the shops that make the tools
would appear to be special gamers by
the reform. If, however, there should
be extraordinary expenditure required
of them, their customers would have to
repay it in increased prices. Some in
dividuals suffer peculiar hardship from
any improvement; the introduction Of
labor-saving machinery throws handi-
craftsmen out of employment; by the
adoption of new weights and measures
to save mental labor, some few persons
of necessity, will be injured profession
al agitators, if nobody else y but the
progress of civilization is not on that ac-
count to be stopped. The proposed in
terval prior to 1890 would afford time
for all necessary state legislation. The
i general government has already sup
piled accurate metric standards to the
several states; they ought to distribute
copies, if they have not yet done so, to
their local officers, and to make the
usual provisions for verifying the actu-
al weights and measures of trade ac.
cording to the metric system. Time
would be allowed also for the prepara-
ton of all the technical and other books
required for the. new system, the
apothecaries' pharmacopeia and tables
of data, reference manuels, and litera,
ry of whatever kind, adapted to the
wants of any profession; some of thi:
work is already done. If every mar
were looking forward to the change a:
inevitable, and studying how to make
it as light burden as possible to hi
own business, various ways would bt
contrived to introduce the new term.
gradually into every department; meas
urement, standard sizes, price-lists ant
advertisements would all conform to th,
new regime and the difficulties, which
on general view appear almost in
superable, would be surmounted in de-
tail by moderate expenditure of mon
ey, patience and sustained effort
Scri6ner's for July.