The preju-dice due to the supposed American origin of thesystem, stupid if the assumption were correct, doublystupid in view of its known European origin, hasceased to have its old influence, and as the necessity forgreater efficiency and a more accurate knowledge ofbusiness facts has become apparent, the popularity ofthe Card Index has increased, and it is not un-reasonable to anticipate that its ever-widening influencewill in the course of the next decade cause all othersystems to pass into oblivion.
R. B. Byles attributes the origin of the card index system to Europe, but provides no direct details or history.