The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1919-02-06
HE farther back we 90 in
the study of weights and
measures the more con-
fused and variable tho

B'4lN&H the study of weights and
HSVNGH measures the more con-
e&Gg fused and variable the
units become. A measure of grain
in ancient times was not a fixed
standard but seems to have been
determined by the size of the
gourd, or other vessel, owned by
each tribe or trader. For linear
measure the cubit, represented by
the length of the forearm and vary
ing from Is to 21 inches, was con.
sidered quite accurate. For local
lied exchange, where a personal
element entered into each trans
action, such queer or idiomatic
commensurables served all require
ments, but they proved quite
inadequate when dealing with
exoteric communities using entirely
different symbols and divisions and
where the rigid laws of business
applied. Gradually each country
has systemized and extended it's
standards until the inhabitants of
one locality can comprehensively
deal with its neighboring contem.
poraries, but generally adopted
universal system is not yet in force.
although the metric system is quite
extensively in use.
In this country the first real step
towards nationwide standards was
made in 1856. In this year the
United States Treasury Depart
ment tried to encourage uniformity
among the states and sent to the
governor of each state a complete
set of standards as adopted in 1880
from the English. 1t is hard to
change customs made familiar by
years of use and although progress
was slow great improvement is ap-
parent over the old haphazard
practices. We still have in use
some extremely perpIexing local,
or trade eccentricities, such as the
variations in the weight of bushel
in different states, the long and
short ton, r. and 16-ounce pounds
and various capacity barrels and
hogsheads. Is there any logical
reason why there should be Sc
pounds to q. bushel of wheat in
Connecticut and go pounds in Min
nesota; or 50 pounds to a bushel of
corn in California and So pounds
in New York? Again, we have
the statute mile of $3.50 feet and
the geographical or nautical mile
of 6087 feet. The dictionary de-
fines the word ton" as "a measure
of weight, either 1000 or 2240
pounds" The word pound" is
defined as "a variable unit of
weight, the avoirdupois pound be-
ing l6 ounces of 1000 grains; the
troy pound IL ounces of $3.50
grains" Such discordant interpre-
tations are quite confusing and un-
doubtedly will some day be simpli-
fed by more modern and scientific
system.
In 1866 the use of the metric
system of weights and meaures in
the United States was legalized by
Congress-legalized but not CON-
PEELED, nor was it used extensively
except in import and export trade.
The continent of Europe, Latin
America, portions of Asia and
Africa and various island terri
tories use exclusively the metric
systematic meter, the gram and
the liter.
The fact that lawmakers, states
men and scientists advocate q sys-
tenn of mensuration based on equal
multiplications, and that their aim
is utility and universality shows
that the trend is towards standardi-
zation and that eventually univer-
sal standards will be used. Indus
trial expansion. the ever increasing
commerce with foreign countries
and the improved means of trans
portation that puts these countries