528 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



COLLEGE STANDARDIZATION 



By Pkofessok W. LeCONTE STEVENS 



WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY 



IN war between nations the standardization of armies is universally 

 recognized to be the first essential of efficiency. The function of 

 every leader, every fighter and every carrier is distinctly understood. 

 Likewise in the domestic war of commerce, which is chronic, the organ- 

 ization of great corporations, with division of labor and singling of in- 

 dustrial functions, is the greatest promoter of both production and 

 distribution. In theory the great corporation is a public blessing. In 

 practise its beneficence has been somewhat concentrated, the benefit to 

 the public being only incidental, but loudly proclaimed. The organ- 

 ized corporation receives from the state a charter, intended for the 

 protection of the unorganized public. The corporation is justly held 

 responsible to the state for the performance of the functions specified 

 in its charter and for the avoidance of injustice to the public. The 

 most troublesome problem of our country at present is connected with 

 the enforcement of laws intended to protect the public from the greed 

 of corporations, from false capitalization, from unjust discrimination 

 in rates, from the corruption of legislation by indirect purchase of 

 special privileges. Whether a tariff should be intended for national 

 revenue or for protection to the special interests organized into great 

 corporations is a question the settlement of which is already clear 

 enough, but practically it may perhaps be reserved for a future genera- 

 tion. Whatever may be its settlement, the corporations are here to stay 

 and no return to the simpler conditions of a half century ago can 

 be expected. We are adapting ourselves to present conditions and in 

 time this problem will be solved as others of no less magnitude have 

 been solved by our fathers. 



One of the real benefits to the public due to the existence of great 

 corporations has been the development of a general demand for 

 standardization. Everything must be measured that can be bought or 

 sold. The results of work must be numerically compared; new units 

 of measurement must be devised as soon as needed; secondary units 

 must be derived from them ; and familiarity with these must be readily 

 attained by the public. Corporations must be compelled to give to the 

 public a correct valuation of properties controlled, of profits earned, 

 of wages paid, of business methods employed. Some corporations, such 

 as national banks, have been for years already subjected to such regula- 



