New-York tribune., 1906-02-26
THE METRIC SYSTEM.
No Likelihood of It's Adoption by English
Speaking Nations.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: All OF the arguments in favor OF the mstrtc
system were published by its advocates in this
country more than thirty years ago For all these
years they have maintained or more metric
societies for continuing a propaganda OF that
TEN; they have deluged the country with literature
on the subject: they have had 1t Incorporated In
the arthmetics and taught in every common school
in the country; they have besieged Congress with
petitions; they have had bills introduced in nearly
every new Congress providing for the compulsory
adoption OF the system. and hearings before tho
Committee Coinage, Weights and Measures.
With the activity of the tariff rerormers. and with
equal eloquence, invecttve and rdicule. they have
labored in season and out OF season, and with
equal success They have made thousands OF con-
verts especially among newspaper editors and
closet philosophers" But like them. they have
labored in vain. far practical results
cerned They have not succeeded in getting a
metric bill through Congress since 1856. when an
act passed making the use OF the metric sys-
tenn legal for any one who wished to use IL. Ths
people who actually use weights and measures in
the mining. agricultural and manufacturing indus
tries and in domestic and foreign commerce have
not been converted They go multiplying rules.
scales, weights measures Of bulk and making
drawings patterns tools and articles Of manufact-
ure by the millions. all based the English inch.
They have divided land and recorded deeds with
English measures OF length and area They have
published plans. drawings. books and technical
papers for the use Of every student and artisan a
In the English system. They have refused to con-
slider the adoption Of the metric system even .
And these people who thus stubbornIy ignore tho
metric system the mO< intelligent. active, pro-
gressive and farseetng people on earth They have
nlerce. They have advanced the United States
the first position among manufacturing and
mercial nations. They are no more apt 10 be blind
10 their own interests in regard to systems OF
weights and measures than they are in regard 10
the tariff
During all the years Of the propaganda of tho
metric system these practical people have
manned unOrganized 50 TAR opposition TO the
metric system is concerned Only and then
some one among them writes an article on ths
subject for some newspaper or reads a paper 10
before some technical society. They have anti
metrical society club. although England has had
for about year.
Only within the last two three years have the
opponents OF the metric system walked up to the
OF the metric system passing Congress- but In that
time they have done some splendid work. When II
appeared two years ago that the COMMITTEES on
Coinage. Weights and Measures unanlmously
IN favor of the last metric bill that had intro
duced IN Congress they appeared az the hearings
before that committee and made such strong ar
guments against Il that the bill was never reported
The American Society OF Mechanical Engineers
had a thorough discussion the subject and
I'm favor OF the system and two against IT, "a
bring in report of the arguments for and against
the system. Both the discussion and the report
may be found In Volume NNlN OF the transactions
of the society. Let any one who has not vet made
up his mind In regard TO the metric system read
the book above named and the discussion and re-
matter how good thing the metric system MAY
be from a purely academic point OF view ane, ns
matter what legislation may be passed in its favor
adopted by the English speaking nations than thers
is or the universal adoption OF the French language
Dean OF College OF Applied science. Syrscu.s
Syracuse N, Y. Feb. %. lsOa