New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-06


tavo. PIP. $50. 35I. Charles Scribners Sons.
Books Of travel In Siam appear frequently
enough. bu. Mr.. snyth has been something
more than tourist. and his volumes have I'M
usual value. They cover much ground. and they
record not only impressions. but facts. The au-
thor for five years In the service Of the
King of Siam. His labors Director of the
Department Of Mines took him into no regions
that had not previously been traversed by other
Europeans, and he ioes not present himself to
the public as an explorer but the nature OF his
work made him Intimately acquainted with the
country and the people. He portrays everyday
Siam. noting its extreme pictu"esqueness when
ever opportunity offers, but combining himself
generally to a straightforward account of pro-
sale things. AS result he is deeply interesting
and instructive.
"Tamnem" (custoln) has been tho curse OF
Siam as OF China. THE terror Of the would
be reformcr" Mr. Smith calls II. For centuries
the ruling family and the mobiles have admin
istered the country purely for their own az
grandizemcnt. AS in China. the central gov
eminent has distributed its representatives.
through the provinces with the tacit under
standing that each agent might get what he
pleased out OF his charge. so long as he for
warded a certain amount OF revenue 10 Bang
individual whose wants are few and whose
power of resistance has for years been steadily
diminishing. To him rebellion against the
mobiles in control has never appealed. He pre-
fers to pay whatever is asked OF him. Every
thing, says Mr. Smyth. beginning at the very
moorng stakes in the port % Bangkok, is taxed
and always has been taxed. but no one has
dreamed of complaining. Since the taxes have
been levied from time immenorlaI. vhy propose
to abolish any OF them now? Tradition IS as
sacred as the Kings person. Like the Kings
acts, it is never questioned. However incon-
gruous or unjust, anything which can he re-
ferred TO tho magic word 'tamnem' Is. without
further ado. invested with sanctity which
commands the greatest respect and even devo-
ton For this one word. dishonesty and cor
ruption are forgotten frivoty and sinful waste
of time at what may be crisis Of the cou"try's
life may be forgiven" In consequence the
venal oficehodcrs not only waxed fat. but
either left the public works to take care OF
themselves carried them on with az much
ignorance criminality. The present King has
essayed to change all this. He is q sangune
ma T. Gathering clever Europeans around him.
he is slowly Transforming his kingdom, purify
ing the administration, improving the condi-
ton of the country. and planting the seeds OF
not be rewarded in his lifetime. Things move
slowly in the Orient. But already he has done
much, ard. with the further Introduction of
Western ideas and Western councillors and ser
wants. he will do much mere. NJ Smyth is
firm in his conviction that ITO align herself Win
the present Siam must enec, in herself a re,o-
luton as complete as any ever effected in The
West" and ne is equally certain that aid must
come from the West IL rnptamOrDhoSiS is
ever to be achieved But ne Is careful to add
and in this discreet view lies the great merit Of
his book-that nothing can be done il civill-
"a alton is abruptly and arbitrarily thrust upon
the Siamese
He shows that We OF the West must pack up
a little altruism with our baggage when We
enter Siam for purposes Of civilization and
profit 1t is not certain, in fact. that every en-
example. may take considerable gold out of
cations and with enlightened methods OF adj
ministraticn but methods must be peculiarly
enlightened. says Mr.. Smith. or failure will
ensue To ride roughshod over native preju-
diccs q is the not uncommon habit of the f.u-
ropoan is to invite certain disaster. The native
Of SIAM says Mr.. Smyth, lis not a very pos
sbc kind Of workman. as money is Indifferent
to him. and he has seldom cause 10 work him
self To the bone in order to acquire IL. His
love Of freedom and doing what he likes makes
him extremely difficult to control. and he goes
and comes at pleasure. In his own native way
of doing things this does not matter: but for
European requirements ii Is otherwise. and
these facts are at the bottom Of all the labor
difficulties in the country. If he wants money
for the cremation Of a relative or IL last sea-