The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-03-28

the windows of the building. The
transparencies will show a series of
beautiful views of the most important
! timber trees, and these pictures will
| be surrounded by transparencies of the
leading saw-mill establishments of the
| south.
LEAyE 1T TO THE LEGISLATURE.
1t appears that the agitators of the
scheme to fasten upon the State of
Utah by constitutional provision the
metric system of weights and meas
ures. are actively engaged in efforts to
commit delegates in the convention to
a furtherance of their purpose. We
have no doubt of the sincerity of their
souls in thus pushing their project,
nor have we anything against the sys-
TEN they advocate, on its merits. It
is the determination to fasten it upon
the state in the constitution that we
object to-
One of he foremost of those who are
working in that way had an article in
an evening paper a few days ago, in
which everybody who differed from
the views of the writer was classed,
virtually, as ignorant or dishonest
And as Touchdown argument
against them, the writer informed the
1 public that had the metric system
! been in existence when the constitu-
) ton of the United States was framed,
there could be no possible doubt in
Nanybodys mind that it would have
been fixed in that instrument
The writer further stated that the
trainers of that instrument reserved
the right to fix the standard of weights
and measures" We pointed out the
Error into which he had fallen in stat
ng that the constitution makers had
.reserved' that right, from the fact
hat they conferred it upon Congress.
We wish now to go a step further in
he argument and point out what ap-
Sears to be a good reason why the
manners of the Utah Constitution
MOULD let this matter entirely alone.
Te suggested that it should be left to
he legislature, as the trainers Of the
National constitution left the matter to
bngress. But the question arises is
It Congress the only constitutional
gulator of the weights and measures
this nation?
The Constitution of the United States
fines the powers which shall be
sted in the Congress, among which
e these, in Article one, Section 8, par
graph 5.
Ito coin money, regulate the value
hereof and of foreign coin, and fix
he standard of weights and meas
res"
This power being conferred upon
ongress, the question has been asked
US: Has any state in the Union the
ght to interfere in any way with the
andard of weights and measures? 1t
[ould seem that this is exclusively the
rovince of the national Legislature.
FOR. if a state may Elk the standard of
weights and measures may it not also
eoin money and regulate the value
thereof?
1t lis suggested that the agitators of
the movement to put the metric system
no our State Constitution had better
consider this point. And if they do
OF wish to permit so small an obstruc-
on as the national constitution to
band in their way, the delegates had
ster fight shy of the scheme and let
slide.
But it should be understood that Con-
ress has legalized the metric system.
is provided in Section 1863 of the
revised Statutes of the United States
pat:
ut shall be lawful throughout the
nited States of America to employ
weights and measures of the metric
rstem; and no contract or dealing or
eading in any court shall be deemed
valid or liable to objection, because
weights or measures expressed or
ferred to therein are weights or
easures of the metric system"
The adoption of the metric system,
en, would be proper if the people of
e state so desire. But it must be as
divided by Act of Congress which
YES the tables of measures of length,
opacity, and surface and of weights,
owing the proportions between the
(etric and the common standards.
Ghese would be improper in a constitu-
onal provision, but might properly be
corporated in a statute if the people
scided through their elected legisla-
RS to enact them.
The national government in its own
actice retains the old standard of
fights in coins, and measures in land
id liquids, and indeed in all weights
ID measures with which its several
partments have to do.
All that we contend for, however, is
at this scheme shall not be forced
ION the constitution where it does
belong. That instrument will be
B legislative, anyhow, and should not
loaded further with a law as to
lights and measures, which by the
ample set in the framing of our ma
nal organic law should be left to
discretion Of the legislature, who
q not only fix the matter as the
VS. of Congress prescribe. but de-
mine when and how the system shall
come operative in the state. Give
legislature a chance to legislatei
kOME RIGHTEOUS PROVISIONS.
I,x-+ i,