84 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



the second test would, viz., hopeless want of proper relations among 

 the tables. Our proper attitude toward the present English tables is 

 that of wholesome and final despair ! 



Addressing ourselves to the task of reform, we proceed to remark 

 what the metric system, in substance, will do. It stands the two tests, 

 perfectly; indeed, it was made to order for that very purpose. To pro- 

 vide a system with a proper scale and relations was the work under- 

 taken by Science, and that work has been diligently and well done. Its 

 merits are great and substantial; so full is it of practical utility as 

 well as theoretical beauty, that President John Quincy Adams did not 

 hesitate to pronounce it "a greater labor-saving machine than steam 

 itself." 



Our object, however, is not to make an argument in its favor, but to 

 inquire into the impediments to its progress. These, though not obvious, 

 are certainly formidable, as is shown by results. There are two sets of 

 conditions to be fulfilled which may be distinguished as the natural and 

 the human conditions of the problem. The difficulty is not to be found 

 in the non-fulfillment of the former ; as has already been remarked, the 

 natural conditions have been well met by Science. But, after all the 

 successful work laboriously done upon these chiefly in the verification 

 of the units the hardest part of the problem yet remains, viz., such an 

 adaptation of the system to mankind that the peoples to be benefitted 

 shall adopt and use it in the daily business of life. 



Nor are men of physical science, as such, specially qualified for this 

 task. To adapt the system to man requires a different sort of observation 

 from theirs, for which there are no instruments, but only the patient 

 observation of the ways of this fastidious creature. The huge inertia 

 of this ponderous mass of humanity, as results show, is yet to be over- 

 come. Until this adaptation to man is complete, the problem is not 

 solved. 



Were a Pacific Railway begun upon the wrong general line, the best 

 remedy would be a change of location. In our present problem the 

 human conditions furnish guiding principles the great salient points 

 of our Pacific Railway more stubborn than Nature itself. The system 

 is for man not man for the system ; and, if the two do not tally, it 

 must yield, not he ! 



What modifications of the metric system are needed to fit it for 

 common use? 



Roughly, directness and simplicity. In aiming at these we should 

 study actual human experience. The currency system of America fur- 

 nishes invaluable guidance. One of its chief lessons is, that men like 

 not many denominations. 



In our decimal currency, five denominations are proposed mills, 

 cents, dimes, dollars, and eagles. Of these but two are practically used 

 dollars and cents. Had the other three been omitted, we should not 

 have missed them. 



