The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1905-12-27
EXPERTS ARE PERPLExED.
Notation on Government Corner Stone
Causes Controversy in
Washington.

II An interesting controversy has arts
on In Washington regarding the date
with which the architects for the
house Of representatives office build
ing have inscribed the corner stone OF
that structure. AS engraved, states
Washington report, the stone bears
the line "MDCCCCv," whereas many
Of the sayants of the national capital
claim that 1t should read 'MCMy."
and the plain people are asking why
II would not be better to inscribe II
plain 1905, so that even members OF
congress- would be able to read the
inscription
Carrere G. Hastings, the architects
are said to be responsible for the
unique method of Roman notation en-
ployed. and they maintain that they
have precedent for this method OF
indicating the date 1905 in the in.
Ecription they placed on the New
York public library. They also claim
10 have submitted the question TO
Harvard and Yale universities. and to
the French institute. and to have been
supported by the opinions Of all three
Some reasonably well educated pro
fessional men in Washington. how
ever, refuse to be awed into silence
by the weight of these authorities,
They maintain that even the Roman
system OF notation Is consistent. AND
that as long as 10 is indicated by the
letters XIX, and 1870 is indicated by
the letters exc. there is no logical
reason for changing tho form when in
dieating 100 times 10 or ten times
100.
They further insist that it is a we'll !
established rule in Roman notation /
that no letter can be used four times /
in succession, the only possible excep |
tion to this rule being on watch faces,
which indicate the fourth hour with .
I'LL, but they explain that this is
merely perpetuated error, first made .
by d German matchmaker. and that +
there is no better authority for its
use,
III you write 49," say the expert
mathematician, by indicating ten
and then deductng one from ten; if
you write 100 by indicating 100 and
then deduct ten from the next 100.
why should you not write 1900 By IN
l,00e and then deducting 100
from the next l,000a
Elliot Woods. superintendent OF the
ra rifoI Ianl-a 40 ,.e.va,.,, and f,rgFsto
~ glances at the nearest exit when
The subject Is preached to him, al.
though he explains politely that It is
up to- Messrs. Carrere e. Hastings
md that he devontly renders thanks
d Providence that the responsibility
or that inscription does not rest with
him.
It Is expected that some eminent
scholars in congress will have not a
ew words to say on the subject when
hey reach Washington, and Mr.
Woods seems to appreciate that the
nd is not yet, although he is deter.
mined not to commit himself ire
Tocably as to his own opinion on the
ubject.
Meanwhile the average man is won
lering why The superintendent, the
congress committee and the aren't
ect DO not solve the problem by
be. easy method OF going around II
md writing the date in plain Arabic
ignres. which rural visitors conld read
Without hesitation.
John NJ Carrere said the other day
hat the inscription was based Oh /,
nipple precedent. since the Institute
Il France had some years ago decided ,
hat the longer method was the cor
ect one. When a similar question
rose in regard TO the New York pub
ic library. Mr.. Carrere added, the mat
ct was referred to Columbia college.
IN fch decidad in favor of The longer Y