Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-05-02
THE sIAMEsp
A Nation of Smokers and cs.
The King Owns the pso,,," "'''

I visited one Of the bio ,r.A..
yesterday, says Frank G C.',n 49, "a
letter from Bangkok, tie el,ie sl'si I.
Siam. 1t was on the man lan5 .a ny
sisted of great, low Shed an IN
platforms about twenty fe,. sa .,,.u w
a foot high. Upon these plai is..e
green palm leaves were spread So 9
of the market women. Tbsra y 'Ia|
men among the sellers and lou '
the buyers. Through the c,a,tta - y
platform there was pillar wlli..b T. III .
support the shed, and there we, -.
women to each platform IT,.
naked, squattcd with tlieirbactsaai-
the pillars and their bare leos e,
Each had a betel box and som ~. !.
cites beside her, and they either ob ~
the betel nut or smoked wlila H.
ket went on. Their wares we,r Il ~
piles OF onions, pieces Of eabl,,ee,A =
other vegetables. The QUANTITIES ~, e
not measured except By tie eve NM
paper used WAS this green plm T., 4
which the purchaser wrapped M nm
food and fastened il with a littIev6,a \
;oothpick-iikc pin.
Speaking of smoking, everyone !,
Siam smol.cs-men, women and .sg
drcn. Tie people have 10 pocI.e.s s,i
the fayoiite place for. Carving rssr
and cigarettes is behind the ar M
our American clerks carry tller m,
and pencils. l saw naked bow g.,
yesterday standing III crowd sno.;',
cigarette. He WAS putting an,
Justify at the weed in his mouth md
had two others yet uulit-one blniI
each ear. He apparently enioyed h.
tobacco, and smoked as thoaeI, h NJ.
an everyday matter, as l doubt nd I.
was. His brown-skinned father Mi
beside him, and when he started smv
he picked up the still smoking vca...
ster and set him astride OF his lin sri
thus walked of. Babies are ALWAYS IA.
ried on the hip here, and not upoD h.
back, ms in China, Corea and 1spn
This carrying is done by tie men 4
we'll us the women, and only the pooies.
q the men do any work.
The King Of Siam is supposed to own
the people, and each man IN tie realm
has to serve for three, six or nine month.
rs servant of the government Ats
certain time Of the year the entire psp
ulation is marked of TO paliicnlaynobis
men or government masters lhe9
masters, whenever the government 10 /
mands anything OF them can compI
the men marked off 10 tl.cm % sels
All kinds OF work are demanded, mdAs
various marks put upon the men inji
cato their trades or profession. S0ns
men are required to give all then tina
TO the government, and in this ease iAg
get nominal salaries. Those who 90
half their time work for the king fitea |
days, and then have fifteen days c4
The three months subjects get nopay
and during the time they are in Bang
kok they have TO find themselves in iod
and lodging. This work practically en-.
slaves tho whole population Of macs
and slavery is common in Siam. Cln-
inals convicted often become slaves and
they arc sometimes marked or branded
on the forehead. / have seen many men
III chains during my stay here, and ius
the walls OF the palace thacM
at least two score OF linen, brgnt-eFtd
good-looling, lusty fellows Who Lave
great iron collars about their necsssad
about their legs and arms flo
were making basket work and who'd
fered to sell me their wares as | les;sd
The debtor who docs moi pay y Sam
must become the slave Of ms crrdliat
who charges him from from - to aOpg;
cent. year, puts him in Chains ana
takes his work as tie lnteres' On is
debt.
There are hundreds Of saeh Saws N
and many Of the men beaAs
slaves by gambling away Their mug
There arc gambling houses eyeryvAels
and men and women, old ana lo-.sl
nre addicted to gambling, One o y;
great games seems 70 be tantan, an
there are big sheds scattered along ~
main streets of the city, in winch ilfs
half-nal;ed, brown-skim,cl, blsod-sns,
ting Siamcso collect in groups ASs'
mats. where Cinnamon act as tne '@.
ers and conduct this game Lllie Sea
IRE used instead of cash, and ne s--'
is substantially the same g nc lal-.
Of of China. Gambling also gees
upon the river, and it takes place alos
.he ladies of the harcm, | am toe
the very palace itself. The na'gs y.
told seems addicted 10 vice rather -, -.
10 virtue, aud il is nearer AKIN % u,
than any other ia'e !"
seen. Still it claims to be progress,
md its king has made some stspS Il
'front.'. The people are devoted 81, I. +,
lism, and the priests are nunD'""
thousands.