The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-06-23
WOMEN IN SIAM.
Tho Rights of the Fair Sex in the Land
Where the King Don't Care.

Where the King Don't Care.
The Hon. D. B. Sickles, late United States
representative at the court of Siam, in re-
cent lecture thus describes the women OF
Siam and the Queen Consort
'The native women of Siam are remarka-
bly, handsome and. though somewhat dimin-
utive, they are naturally graceful in their
movements and excel the men in intelli-
gence and shrewdness. They are the cash
iers in almost every native establishment,
and are considered to be safer guardians of
the money-box than the proprietors, or even
their own husbands, to whom they dole out
the copper OTIS or silver fuangs with frequent
precautions and admonitions. Although, in
accordance with Eastern ideas, they are re-
garded as inferior TO men in every respect,
there are few countries where they SO thor
oughly demonstrate and maintain their
equality as they do In Siam. In every we'll
organized and properly conducted business
house they are acknowledged to be indis-
pensable, and nearly all the multitudinous
native hongs and retail establishments at
Bangkok, as well as those in the remote prov
inces of the realm, are either owned or man.
aged by them. They seem to possess
genius for trade. and are marvelously sue
cessful in all kinds of mercantile pursuits.
As saleswomen in the native shops they are
precise and persistent in making bargain,
and always win their customers by genial
craftiness that is too fascinating to resist and
an unaffected plausibility that disarms sus-
picion. The Chinese merchants who settle
in Siam and engage in trade have keen APP
probation of these qualities and select
Siamese women for their wives in preference
to those of their own race, who are seldom
capable of becoming anything but menials
or toys. Thus, with the Eurasians on one
hand, the Siamo- Chinese on the other that
section of the far East is being gradually
peopled by new-formed races, in which only
few distinguishing traces of the ancestral
type will ultimately be found. Siamese
women are also important factors in the
body polite. In the state, as we'll as in the
household, she performs a part which COM
mands the respect OF even those who pretend
to despise her sex. In the palace her will
is the power behind the throne
greater than the throne ITSELF Her
Majesty the Queen Consort, though unpro-
claimed as the royal spouse, is, nevertheless,
practically supreme in influence, if not in
authority She is less beautiful than some
of the inmates of the royal mansion, but more
noted for her ability and intelligence than
any of the women that surround the court.
The young King has been devotedly attached
to her from his boyhood, and denies her
nothing that his generous nature can bestow
to complete her happiness Tits even asserted
that he would destroy the time-honored Gus
tom of the country by casting aside his other
wives if she demanded it. She is his con-
slant companion at home, and accompanies
him on every journey; and l was informed
by missionary lady who had been fire.
quent visitor at the palace for many years,
that in affairs of state he relies more upon
her judgment than upon the advice of the
members Of the privy council, who are pre-
sumed to be skilled in the subtle art Of state
craft and diplomacy. Besides being amiable.
intelligent, industrious and frugal, she is
gifted with good sense and endowed with
other admirable virtues"