Sword and shield. (Clinton, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1885-08-01
THE METRIC SYSTEM.

''Thou shalt not have in thine house divers
measures, great and SMALL
but thou shalt have perfect and just weight
a perfect and just measure shalt thou have that
thy days may be heightened in the land which the
Lord, thy God, gveth thee
divers weights and divers measures, both Of
them are alike abomination to the Lord.
This text has been chosen as a
foundation for series Of articles
upon the International Metric Sys-
tenn of Weights and Measures. The
writer feels great interest in this
important subject and for years has
neglected no favorable opportunity
Of addressing the intelligent people
Of Mississippi upon the necessity Of
preparing for the introduction Of Me-
trological Reform by teaching thor
oughly the principles and applica-
tions Of the Metric System in all the
schools, public and private, as well
as in the Higher Institutions
throughout the State.
In 1866 Congress legalized the
Metric System Of Weights and Meas
urcs, merely opening the way to
such progress as might be possible
without Congressional aid but in
1871 resolution was adopted by
the House Of Representatives, re-
questing the heads Of the executive
departments Of the government to
give their objections TO making the
Metric System obligatory in all gov
ernmcntal transactions, and to eX
press an opinion as to how long a
preliminary notice should be given
before such obligatory use can be in
troduced without detriment to the
public service; and to give objections
to making the System obligatory in
all transactions between individuals,
and fix the earliest date practicable
for the obligatory use of the Metric
system throughout the United States.
A full synopsis of the responses
elected may be found in the "Metric
System, by T. A. ?. Barnard, from
whose admirable book We get the
facts herewith presented. We can
not take notice now Of all these re-
sponses, but will review some of the
most interesting.
The Secretary Of State objected to
the use Of the Metric System, that
it would introduce detrimental con-
fusian in commercial relations with
Great Britain and other countries
which HAYS the same neurological
systems as ours, "with which the
bulk of our commerce is carried on"
The Secretary speaks loosely, for an
examination will show that not more
than one-half the total amount of our
our foreign commerce is with non
metric nations, and not more than
one-fourth is expressed in the de-
nominations Of a system identical
with our own. But the Secretary
frankly admits that the use Of the
Metric System would greatly pro-
mote the intercourse and trade with
metric nations.
Next we notice the response OF
MIR. j. X. Upton, the Chief Clerk in
the Treasury Department. We bor-
row the words of DR.. Barnard, who
says that Mr.. Upton begins by de
scribng the weights and measures
in use at this time in this country,
for which there is no authority but
tradition. lie observes that the
Constitution has given to Congress
the power to FIX the standards Of
length, weight, capacity and value
but that this powor has not been ex.
erciscd by Congress, except so far as
to declare that certain brass weight
procured in 1927 by the Minister Of
the United States at London, and
now deposited in the Mint of the
United States, shall be the standard
Troy Pound Of the mint, the same
beng identical with the Troy pound
OF England. Mr.. Upton brings very
clearly to light the imperfectlOns O
our system (if so HETEROGENEOUS q
collection Of weights and measures
can be called a SYSTEM, by pointing
out that in measuring lengths there
are employed twenty-five units, three
Of which, although under different