The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-06-15
THE METRIC SYSTEM.
II May Not Be the Best. but II Is
Certainly Better Than No Sys.
tenn At All.
From the Philadelphia Press.


The Popular Science Monthly for
June contains very elaborate argu-
ment against the metric system by Her.
bert Spencer. He bases his objection to
1t mainly on two points; first, that the
French meter. the basis OF the system.
does not fulfill the requirements Of
scientific and ideal perfection; secondly,
that division by tenths Is not the most
natural, convenient and suitable. Di-
vision by halves. quarters, eighths, etc..
answer ordinary purposes much better
than by tenths, while there is frequent
need of division by thirds, sevenths. etc,
which the decimal system can only ap-
proXimate.
has been used from the beginning
against the metric system, yet II has not
prevented it's adoption by nearly every
country in continental Europe. This
argument will be used in congress
against the pending Stone bill for the
adoption of the metric system Of weights
and measures in the United States. Di-
visions by halves and quarters are con-
venient. but they are not necessarily in
compatible with the metric system. The
United States adopted the decimal prin-
clple Of the metric system In its cur
rency notation; and its eagles, dollars,
dimes and cents, whiie convenient for
purposes Of calculation, do not inter-
fere In the least with the coinage and
current use Of half dimes, quarters and
half dollars, quarter, half and double
eagles. We have the convenience of the
decimal notation and the convenience
of dividing or multiplying by two when
1t suits us better. This may be illogical
and inconsistent but it is very useful
and nobody wants to change 1t.
OUR CONFUSED SYSTEM.
Our system Of weights and measures
is in confusion, and reform Is demand
ed. We have a pound avoirdupois and q
lighter pound Troy. On the other hand,
the ounce avoirdupois is lighter than the
ounce Troy. We have long and short
tons, and some tons that are between
the two. 1t is matter to be deter
mined whether hundred weight in a
special case means 100 pounds or 112.
The milk dealers buy milk of the farm
ers by beer measure of 2S2 cubic inches
to the gallon and sell 1t to the city con-
sumer by wine measure of 231 cubic
inches to the gallon when full. Every
state has its own bushel measure or
several Of them, and none Of them agree
with the English bushel At nearly
every session of the Pennsylvania leg
islature law is passed regulating the
size of the bushel as to some commodity.
The committee on coinage, weights and
measures in the house of representa-
tives in reporting the Stone bill has
this to say about the bushel: 1.-THE BUSH
el Of oats varies from 26 pounds in
! Maryland to 36 pounds in Oregon and
Washington. The bushel of barley
weighs 32 pounds in Louisiana and so
In California. The laws of New York
and Oregon make AZ pounds of buck
wheat bushel. while those of Mime
and Kentucky Sc pounds. The bushel
of rye weighs S2 ,pounds in Louisville.
but grows to 56 pounds in Ohio. and
most Of the states. Potatoes weigh so
pounds to the bushel in Washington, Sc
in Pennsylvania and GO in Ohio and
many Of the other states. In Maine A
pounds make a bushel Of apples, while
| 81 are required in Wisconsin. A bushel
! Of salt weighs but 80 pounds in Vir-
ginia and several Of the states, but
reaches 20 in Massachusetts. and brings
down the scales at so in Colorado. Ver-
mont. however, seems to have reached
the climax of absurdity when she pro-
vldes by comparatively recent leglsla-
tion still In force that in measuring
certain specified comodities 'one bushel
and three-quarters of peck shall be
deemed a bushel.'"
NO SYSTEM AT ALL.
| This Is not system; it is confusion
worse confounded 1t calls for rem
| edy. The constitution makes 1t the
duty Of congress to establish uniform
system of weights and measures. Pos
sibly the metric system of France could
| be improved upon, but 1t has become the
system of Europe, except In Russia, Den
mark and Great Britain. 1t is in use
In part of Asia, in a considerable por-
tion Of Africa, in South America, Cen.
tral America and Mexico, and its use Is
being steadily extended. For scientific
work it is IN use all over the world. Its
| general adoption would bring order out
! Of the chaos which now prevails and
make our weights and measures cores
pOnG with those in use in the greater
POI ton Of the civilized world. 1t would
nOt compel disuse of ordinary division
by halving and rehalving, or even ne
! cessarily dispense with the accustomed
terms of measurements. The Stone bill
contemplates that the metric system
shall be the basis of our weights and
measures. but that in its application the
fixed customs and convenience of the
people shall be taken into account
1t Is a hard matter to bring about q
change of this character in democrat.
ic government because 1t Is bound to
be unpopular until 1t is understood. and
1t can never be generally understood un-
til II has been put into use. Probably
this this country will not anticipate
England in adopting the metric system
Meanwhile, let US try and remember
when travelling in Vermont that zone
bushel and three-quarters Of a peck Is
deemed q bushel.