Show BY THUMB OR METER f 7 Referring again to the metric metrio system of weights and measures a friend calls our attention to an article in the latest number of the Carpet and Upholstery Trade Review New York which points out that as a matter of fact tact that system is the only legally recognized one in the country an act of or Congress in ID 1866 having authorized its ita use in the United States State at the same time establishing establishing lishing the exact relations between the meter and the tha yard the common system is wholly un- un unauthorized unauthorized un unauthorized authorized by law or decree its endorsement coming from custom ana popular use The fhe paper referred to puts itself elf on record against the innovation the News asks for tor but it Its strong reasons will wUl bardl hardly pass current with thoughtful people In substance they are to the effect that the names are awkward it does not seem at a all j natural to say lay that a miss Is as good goodas goodas goodas as a 1 or to refer reCer admiring admiring- admiringly admiringly ly to a person a as being every centi centi- centimeter centimeter centimeter meter a man With such trivialities we fancy fanoy few adherents for lor the old system will be won The rhe unit of comparison was taken by bythe bythe the ancients from body The Hebrews and Egyptians took the length or a mans man's loot toot for the purpose the Greeks and Romans RomanI added the thumb or inch the finger and the palm These measures of ot primitive origin have been employed iu Is almost all nations until modern time times and yet the awkwardness would seem to tobe tobe tobe be all on the side of a system so crude and arbitrary It should be interest interest- interesting interesting ing log to local patriotism to know that the theU U United States standard la is a so-called so correct yard I yard which was 36 Inches on a British scale of brass made by a celebrated English h artificer and obtained by this government in 1814 and from thi this standard sets lets ot of otI I measures were made in 1836 1536 and sent lent to the governors governor of ot the various states On the other hand the metric system takes taku for tor its standard the meter which as every schoolboy knows know is a little littlemore littlemore littlemore more than Ulan three inches longer than a yard and is one ten millionth of ot the distance from the earths earth's equator to the pOle measured along a meridian line Une lineIn In the custody of the government authorities at Washington to this day are copies of If the standards of weights and mea measures according tu tv this system which were constructed by a distinguished commission of scientific men representing representing the international bureau ot of weights and measures Paris Parie in 1872 by the great powers The improvement which the decimal decimal system y possesses over the one still in use in this country but last fast dis dis- dl disappearing disappearing appearing entirely from continental Europe Europe- would seem to be so 0 manifest that it n Dee needs s no argument All AU that can be said against it is that it would oe he an innovation and for tor a while beset with difficulties of or introduction Eu But t the people of ot Utah are essentially ot of the pioneering spirit and a as are always searching after and seeking the establishment of the best We apprehend that the sneer as to its awkwardness and the turg suggestion that we mu must wait walt until others other move out in its ita adoption will alike aUke fail tan to impress the metric system unfavorably upon this community |