Year: 1867




The subject OF more uniform and
practical method of notation, in regard
to weights and measures, attracted the
serious attention of Congress at its last
session, and is now being freely and
favorably cauvassed by the Boards OF
Trade in the cities especially at the
Wesl, and its consideration at an early
day must be taken in hand by the peo-
ple at large, as the new mathematical
text books, as they appear are giving it
currency aH'oug the children and schools
Of our country.


The Inconvenience Of the prevalent
method, are fully appreciated when we
consider that there exists throughout
the civilized world divers unequal, in
congruous and incOEvenient systems Of
weights, measures and currencirs, with
out proper basis or any uniform rates
Of division and muliples, thus subject.
ing the scholar, the teacher and the man
of business to numerous and needless
perplexities in computation aud in trade.
A reform in regard to these inequalities
and irregularities Is demanded by the
highest interests of education and COM
merce.


The public attention has been called
to the subject at various times from the
DAYS Of Washington to The present time.
An able report was made by John
Quincy Adams in 1921, and other COM
munications have been made to Congress
since that time. In 1868 Congress, in
which nearly all the nations OF Europe
were represented, and our own, was
held at Berlin, in Prussia, and much in
formation has since been disseminated
on the subject, and Hon, John a. Kasson
of Iowa has presented to the American
people an able and exhaustive report in
favor of the adoption of the system.


If the decimal system" of notation
could be introduced into the transaction
of business, and so become a requisite
part of the course of instruction in the
common schools of our land, a great
relief would be gained. The tables Of
weights and measures" which are
among the hardships of the young pu-
pills in arithmatcl would be forever re-
moved from their path. All can see at
once the benefit of the decimal system"
in our table of federal money as con-
trasted with the cumbersome method, OF
Pounds, ShiIlDgs and Pence, pressing on
our ancestors previously to the war OF
the American Revolution, remaining for
years afterwards to peTpleX the comnu-
nifty and even now a trouble to the
pupils in our schools, because we can
not fully break away from the traditions
Of the fathers.


1t may be thought an Inconvenience
to make the change, but really no
greater than the inconvenience OF going
on as before, taken in all its bearings;
and posterity will bless the generation
that effects the change. Our CONNER
cial transactions would gain largely by
escaping perplexity and saving time,
which is equivalent to money.


1t may be suggested when, alter SO
long ia consideration, beginning with
the infancy of our republic, shall the
change begin? What better time thar
now, when the reconstruction of our
nation is engrossing the thoughts Of the
public mind Let the era of our history
be marked also with re. construction of
our tables of weights, measures, and
Currencies, and the coming generations
IN the busy years Of manhood. will be
grateful for the wisdom which simple
fed its applications to real life. The
Worlds Exposition of Industry at Paris
the present year, will afford an oppor.
tunity for the interchange of thoughts
on this subject. If our Government
could be represented by a Commissioner
to represent the views long held in this
country, to meet others of the different
nations, much might be done to hasten
the desirable change