The times., 1900-12-30
like The METRIC SYSTEM
Canadians Willing to Follow the
Lead of the United States.
Dexpatches From Ottawa Say the
Belief Is Prevalent I'm Official Cir
cIes There That the shafroth Bill
Pending in Congress VIII Become n
Law-Interests Northern Neighbors

Politicians in Washington are discuss
ing the announcement contained in des-
patches from ottawa that the belief
is prevalent in official circles that
the United States will adopt the metric
system of weights and measures as pro-
yided in the shafroth bill now on the
House calendar with a favorable report
from the committee to which II was re-
ferred The Ottawa dispatches say that
Canada is ready 10 follow the lead Of the
United States In this particular and that
the question is being widely agitated.
As early as 1917 the subject of adopting
the metric system in the United Sta tes
was agitated. John Quincy Adams was
appointed to investigate the weights and
measures Of the United States and he
fouEd that the standards of weight, meas
ure, and capacity differed considerably in
the different States and even in the same
State. He reported fully on the result
OF his investigation and did not favor the
adoption of the French or metric system
because of the popular repugnance 60 a
change and the Inconvenience which
would follow the adoption of a new sys-
TEN. At the same time he declared his
belief that the metric system was almost
IDEAL and reflected the greatest credit on
the men and on the age which had de-
yised It,
In 1880 another investigation was made
and ii again was found that a pound or a
yard in one State or city was often more
or less than in another. AS result the
Treasury Department was authorized and
instructed to have made copies of the
standards of weight and measure then in
its possession, set OF which copies were
to be delivered to the Governor of each
State in the Union.
In 1866 IL was made by an act of Con-
gress lawful to employ the weights and
measures of the metric system through
out the United States, and the Secretary
of the Treasury was instructed to furnish
to the Governor OF each State set of
standard weights and measures of the
metric system for the use of the respec-
tive States.
Under the regulations Of the Interna-
tional Contention the metric system was
adopted as the standard in all transac-
tions between the nations which are mem
bers of the Postal Union, and accordingly
the mail matter transported between the
United States and fifty other countries,
including even the mall sent between the
United States and England, is weighed and
paid for entirely in terms OF the metric
system.
In 1875 convention was held by repre-
sentatiyes OF practically all the civilized
nations except England. at which ''sci-
enti1c and permanent bureau of weights
and measures" was established at Paris
the expenses Of which are paid by all the
Powers party to the convention. Great
Britain has since become party TO this
conference. and In common with the Uni
ted States pays its share Of the expenses
Of the bureau.
One duty OF this international bureau OF
weights and measures Is TO furnish exact
and correct copies or duplicates of the
standards OF weight and measure to the
several countries which contribute to its
support. These new standards were sup