The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-24
{ Weights and Measures :
ny FREDERIC j. HAsKIN.

BY FREDERIC j. HAskIN.
Ths annual attempt to enforce the
weights and measures in the United
States government service Is about
due. For years this attempt has been
Congress. For years the House Com
mittee on Coinage, Weights and Meas
ures, has considered the matter, given
long hearings upon up, III, and h some me
1t has always been impossible to Sc
cure the enactment Of such law.
However. the advocates. of the metric
fight until victory rests upon their
banners.
Already they have made important
In 1855 Congress made the metric
system lawful in the United States. The
revised statutes contain provisions
making the metric system the basis
American coinage system. Congress
has provided for the distribution of a
set OF the standard metric weights
Union. and has decreed that the inter-
national electrical units based on the
metric system shall be the legal units
Of the In
ury In 1893 ordered that the inter
national prototype meter and kilo-
gram should be the Fundamental
in the. United States. BY executive
order, the metric system has been
adopted as the STANDARD in the med i.
pf hs naxy service n
tariff act Of 1901 directed, the con
tlnuance of the use of the mertic
system 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 to that system so that it can be
and eventually throughout the COM
mercial world. In support of this plan
it Is claimed that the metric system
is more, simple than any other system
of weights and measures. being based
on the decimal figures; that IL Is uni-
form and easily used. and that 1t is
now the only legal system for about
4l0,ooo,ooo people. the principal coun-
tries in which its use is not enforced
being the United States, Great Britain
| and Russia. It's advocates claim that
| If IL is officially adopted by this coiin-
try. Great Britain VIII soon follow
suit.
| While the advocates of the metric
| system in this country are enthusiastic
deal of opposition to be found here.
| The proponents of the metric plan con-
sist principally of scientific men and
mathema ticians. while the Strongest
I
lean commercial interests. 1t is claim
ed by the latter that the enforced
| use of the metric system by them
would necessitate the replacing of the
present standards and gauges used in
| manufacturing at cost of between
| $500, 900. 900 and $1,000 100000, and that
| 1t is pointed out that conditions exist
| ing in Europe when the metric system
| was established there We're very diff
| ferent from what they are now in the
4 rot II
| being too complex at present to per-
nit a complete change in it's weights
| and measures without disastrous con-
| sequences.
the opponents of the system have pro-
! posed that Congress create a technical
| commission composed of representa-
tives of all interests concerned, to
measures and recommend such legis-
lation on the subject as they may deem
| necessary or desirable. After such an
Investigation, the. enemies of the
| little ground for 1t to stand on in this
country.
While the claims of the metric. OPP
| ponents may be founded on fact. there
OF weights and measures lacks uni
formity. There are the apothecarys
pound and the troy pound, containing
dupois pound has sixteen t NV ounces
There are the long ton and the short
ton. There are the statute mile. con
! tanning $3.50 feet, and the nautical mile
of 6.0s5 feet. The dry quart is larger
than the liquid quart. People of the
| United States have to learn dry meas
use. 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 \situa-
ton 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 necessary for Representative
Pearre, of Maryland TO introduce q
bill in Congress providing that cord
of wood in the District of Columbia
shall contain 12s cubic feet
formity can be laid at the door OF
Congress. The Constitution gave Con
gress the power to fix the standards
of weights and measures, but thai
! power has been exercised only partial.
+ ~. President Washington, In his frs'
message. urged the establishment by
Legislative enactment OF an oficia
system Of weights and measures: Pres,
} and In 1921 John Quincy Adams, Their
| Secretary of State, urged the ac"ptiot
of uniform system In report Whicl
, has since become classic. Other