The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-03-13
Fixing Standards by Law.
Recent Act of Congress That
Was Not Political.

Washington, March Ga most i'm
postans bill, which passed Congress
at the eleventh hour was one provid
for the establishment Of national
bureau of standards sometimes call
ed 8 .snational standardizing bureau "
1ts name is awkward but suits its
uses very exactly
Under the care of the superintend
ent of the coast survey are 8 few
brass disks, weights and other ar,i
eles by which scales of weight and
measurement are tested They are
supposed to be exact, and every year
commission is appointed by the
President to visit the several mints
of the United States and test the
scales by which the coius of the
Government are weighed That is
ali our Government pretends 90 do in
thisl line. although in England, Ger
maay, France and other civilized
countries there are official authorities
whose business it is to test anything
IN chemistry or physics that citizen
desires to have tested These off
eials are custodians of the standards
By which everything is measured,
and, as everybody can imagine. they
ere frequently called upon 20 decide
disputes, their judgment being final
in aIl cases
We have no such thing in this
country Private manufacturers and
corporations get their standards from
Germany, and not long ago the navy
of the United States was compelled
to ask the German government to
make sests in order to determine the
power of certain electrical machinery
TIE bill referred to establishes .'a
rasiooal standardizing bureau
which shall be the custodian of all
standards of weights and measures
and whose duty it shall be ''to com
pare the standards used in scientific
investigations. engineering, manu-
featuring, commerce and educational
institutions with the standards adopt
ed or recognized by the Government,
the construction, when necessary. Of
standards, their uulsiples and sub
divisions ; the tessing of standard
measuring apparatus; the solution
Of problems which arise in connection
With standards; the determination
of physical constants and the proper
ties Of materials which such data of
great Importance to scientific OF
manufacturing interests are not to be
ob,aineos Of sufficient accuracy else
where
Tbs bureau ''shslI exercise its func
lions for the Government of the
United States; for State or municipal
government within the United States;
or for any scientific society, educa
tional institution. firm, corporations
or individual within the United
States eogaged in manufacturing or
other pursuits requiring the use of
standards or standard measuring
instruments
s.The whirlgig of time brings in
his reveDges Z" Two Of the new
members of the senate-Mr Kearns
of Utah and Mr.. Dubois of Idaho
were among the little band of silver
Republicans which followed Senator
Teller when be left the st Louis
convention in such dramatic manner
in 1896 Kearus supported Bryan
that year, and contributed literally
TO the Democratic campaign fund
He came back to the Republican
party in 1900 and was equally gener
ous to Mr. Hanna's war chest He
still adberes to belief in the free
eoinage of silyer. bns does not synps-
s;ee With Mr. Bryan on the ''para
mount issue.' being . broad gauge
expansionist Fred Dubois, on the
other hsnd, has gone over to the
Democratic party and expects 20 stay
shsre.
Far otherwise has it been with Sen
ator shoup, of Idaho, vino retired
from the Senate or March 4th. Il
was shoup Who originally elected
Dubois TO the Senate. BE has been
9 Republican sboss" in Idaho for
many years, and the man he support
ed was always elected until the Re.
p1bsicsn party splis on the silver
q uestion When Dubois left the St.
LOUIS convention with Teller, Shoup
Femaiued almost alone 10 the delega
tion and held up the banner of that
State. yelling for Mckinley and the
gold standard Now Dubois retnros
TO the Senate and takes the seat of
his political patron, aDc Shoup goes
back TO the merchandise business in
the mines which he has found 50 pro
Stable
-<>S.--r-zu-