Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-25

~ AM system of weights and niea-
I'll WN sures in the United States
lA UNl government service is about
kz4sz6Hl due For years this at
tempt has been made
by means of bills introduced in con-
gress. For years the house committee
on coinage, weights and measures has
considered the matter, given long hear
ings upon it, and, in some cases, re-
ported the bills favorably, but 1t has
always been impossible to secure the
enactment of such a. law. However
the advocates of the metric system de.
clare they will keep up the fight until
victory rests upon their banners.
Already they have made important
strides toward the long-sought goal
In 1866 congress made the metric sys-
tenn lawful in the United States. The
revised statutes contain provisions
making the metric system the basis
of foreign postal rates and OF the amer
lean coinage system. Congress has
provided for the distribution of a set
of the standard metric weights and
measures to each state of the Union
and has decreed that the international
electrical units based on the metric
system shall be the legal units of elec-
trical measurement in this country.
The secretary of the treasury in 1885,
ordered that the international proto-
type meter and kilogram should be the
fundamental standards for weights
and measures in the United States. BY
executive order the metric system has
been adopted as the standard in the
medical department of the navy, IN
the United States Marine hospital serv-
ice, and in Porto Rico. The Philip
pine tariff act of 1901 directed the con-
linn Of he metric HXa-
TEN in the Philippines.
1t is now proposed to direct the use
of the metric system alone throughout
the government service, with the
avowed object of accustoming the pub
lie so that it can be adopted through
out our public schools, and eventually
throughout the commercial world. In
support of this plan it is claimed that
the metric system is more simple thar
any other of weights and measures,
being based on the decimal figures:
that ii is uniform and easily used, and
that 1t is now the only legal system
for about 4l0, ,000,0 900 people, the princi-
pal countries in which its use Is not
enforced being the United States, Great
Britain and Russia. Its advocates
claim that If 1t is officially adopted
by this country Great Britain will soon
follow suit.
While the advocates of the metric
system in this country are enthusiastic
in their support of it. there is a great
deal of opposition to be found here
The proponents of the metric plan
consist principally of scientific men and
mathematicians, while the strongest
lean commercial interests. 1t is claimed
by the latter that the enforced use OF
the metric system by them would ne
cessitate the replacing of the present
standards and gauges used In manu-
featuring at a cost of between 100000,
900 and $1,000, 100000, and that busi-
ness would be seriously disturbed. II
is pointed out that conditions existing
in Europe when the metric system was
established there We're very differeni
from what they are now In the United
States, the commercial world being toe
complex at present to permit COM
plete change in it's weights and mea-
sures without disastrous consequences
To placate the metric enthusiasts,
the opponents of the system have pro-
posed that congress create technical
commission composed of representa-
tives of all interests concerned, to study
the question of weights and measures
and recommend such legislation on the
subject as they may deem necessary
or desirable. After such an investi-
cation the enemies of the metric sys-
tenn believe there will be little ground
for it to stand on in this country.
While the claims of the metric op-
ponents may be founded on fact, there
is no doubt that the American system
of weights and measures lacks uni
formity. There are the apothecary'
pound and the troy pound containing
twelve ounces each, while the avoir-
dupois pound has sixteen ounces. There
are the long ton and the short ton
There are the statute mile, containing
$3.50 feet, and the nautical mile of 60S5
feet. The dry quart is larger than the
LIQUID quart. People of the United
States have to learn dry measure,
liquid measure, long measure, square
measure, cubic measure, time measure
and circular measure, not to mention
the contents of perch of stone and
a cord of wood. The situation Is still
more complicated by the fact that the
same terms do not mean the same thing
in all sections of the country. Even
at this late date it has become neces.
sary for Representative Pearre OF
Maryland to introduce a bill in con-
gress providing that a cord OF WOOD
in the District of Columbia shall con-
tain 1913 cubic feet.
Responsibility for the lack OF uni
formity can be laid at the door or
congress. The constitution gave con-
gress the power to fix the standards
of weights and measures, but that
power has been exercised only partial
iy. President Washington in his first
message urged the establishment by
legislative enactment of an official sys-
tenn of weights and measures. Presi-
dent Jefferson followed his example,
and in 1921 John Quincy Adams, then
secretary of state. urged the adoption
of a uniform system In report which
has since become classic. Other presi-