The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-10-13

Very little is heard here of the war
going on in Madagascar, but the peo-
pie of that populous isalnd are fight
ing for the same principles which
dominate the Cubans in their rebel
lion against the mother country. There
is this difference, however: The Cubans
are fighting to attain independence and
liberty, while the people of Madagascar
are striving to prevent the French
from placing a yoke upon their coun-
try.
The other day a short paragraph
was cabled to the papers in this cOun-
try announcing in a few words the
fact that the prime minister of NADIA
gascar had put to death his five Sec
retaries because he suspected that
they were betraying state secrets to
the French. He did not accuse all of
them Of this crime, but he had facts
to prove that one or two of them were
guilty. 1t was impossible to fasten
the crime upon any particular one, 50
he had all of them executed to make
sure that the guilty ones were pun
ished.
The prime minister is remarkable for
many reasons. In the first place his
name is RaiuilairivOni, which in itself
is enough to make him famous in any
land. But he also happens to be the
husband of the queen of Madagascar,
although he is an old man of &c years,
while She is but 80 and in the very
flush of womanhood But aside from
these he has more legitimate claims
upon fame. OF peasant origin, he rap
idly worked himself to the fore, and
has been the leading statesman of his
country for more than a generation.
He is the real leader of the nation, and
has served as such under three queens.
Today in Madagascar he is what Bis
marck used to be to Germany and
Gladstone in England.
y Curious Queen.
Madagascar is curious mixture.
The queen Is a Christian. but she
chews tobacco and expectorates in a
silver vase. Her husband is very
proud of a French Legion of Honor
collar which he wears night and day,
but if any native should happen to
express a favorable opinion of the
French in his presence that native
would very suddenly be waited into
eternity. The queen has fine big BIZ
bic, plentifully emblazoned in gilt. at
her side at all times. but she orders
the execution Of an enemy like another
woman orders her breakfast.
All the Court Ladies' Chew.
The queen is seldom without a large
chunk of tobacco in her mouth, and as
she sets the style in Madagascar, all
of the court ladies' not to be outdone in
the matter Of fashion, also have large
chunks of tobacco in their mouths. At
royal function where all the ladies
are chewing tobacco industriously an
American lady might be shocked. But
the Madagascar ladies regard it as
rare accomplishment and the society
buds there are taught to chew with
the same care that American parents
teach their girls to dance or play upon
the piano. 1t is one of the polite arts
there. and lady who does not chew is
badly handicapped socially as a wo-
man here who eats with her knife.
How the Queen Looks.
The Queen is called Ranavalona III.
Her features cannot be called delicate.
and in complexion she is pretty dark.
much darker than most of her subjects.
Her figure is above medium height.
She dresses in European garments, and
upon state occasions wears a robe of
red velvet and a crown Of gold. Her
usual residence is not the enormous
three-story palace Moja Kamiadana,
built for Ranavalona 1 by a French
but a stone mansion hard by,
called the Palace of Masandro, ar
ranged in good taste and with proper
regard to comfort.
Her husband is something of Ma
poleOn. He is small and lean and rich.
His wavy hair bespeaks his humble
origin. Under an air Of good fellow
ship he conceals extreme energy. an
iron viii and much keenness Of intel
iect. Withal he is an able politician.
He lives in the Palace of Zanovola.
called the Silver House, because when
1t was butt for Prince Rakoto. son OF
a former queen, the prince caused it
to be studded with silver nails and
furnished with silver locks
The premier-king dresses plainly save
on great occasions, when he wears a
dolman of white satin, embroidered
with gold; short trousers, ending in
white stockings, with ribbon garters:
great buckskins with very high heels.
and suspended from his shoulder
cross belt, heavy with gold, which sup
ports a sabre, whose sea bbard of black
leather is encrusted with gold.
The cause of the war which France