The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-09-11

Before outlining the proofs Of recent progress
in Siam, the author, while not attempting a
detailed historical revioW, indicates the sVhte
OF things which required the application Oh
drastic remedies. Descendants OF q hardS race
OF whom tho shans form the elder oranch'
the sian.ese came down from the north into
Siam. split in two the people then In possession
OF the Menam Valley. and so gave rise to the TWO
nations that now border upon them. the CAMPO
dams OH the cast and the Pcgunns on the west.
How the Siamese moved from capital TO canlta'
ever toward the southern plains. from Sawan-
kolok to Pitsunalok. to Ayuthia, and finally 10
Bangkok, their present metropolis; how they
fought their enemies the Peguans, the Bur
mese and tho Cambodians; how they caloled
their cousins. the Lao, and their seq visitors
the Mnlays-all thisb belongs to ancient history
although. In some measure to the present also,
for it has left its mark. Among the results OF
the continual warfare was the incessant inter
change OF prisoners. OF provinces and OF ideas;
eventually these I~ndo-Chinese peoples all ao-
uuired the same methods of protecting them
selves against their rivals and the same notions
OF diplomacy. Not one OF the nations mentioned
has been able to retain It's Independence except
the Slamese; Pegu, Burma. AMMAN. Cambodla
and the Malays have disappeared as powers be-
cause they would not re2enerate. themselves,
III every instance 1t was through their adhesion
20 t 4 sI trndisio1 ,SD dtqtBB si4 ygo whiSh 'e came rsFfss Siam
old rivals. and because she realized betimes the
tionaI dealings. has so iar escaped. What sup
ports her to-day Is the belief OF IEnglishmen
the other States Of the peninsula, failed to do.
and what. consequently. had to be done for
e e"sma L Is neediul to consider. the OBJ
struction which Is offered to her Teiormers;
~ align 3 ra hs5sslt with bs o6 the Rgtsss 3. sa sia even @a Sst
complished In the West. For the untruthful-
ness. the intrigue and the dishonesty in which
the the sSs Sfeh RH[sdires; S Which nus Is foreign to
the Asiatic nations. Mr.. Smyth says that only
by the nature OF their employment, have
been brought in constant contact, with the IN
ton IS revorenced AMONG the people. 'TfrrSdi-
ton is as sacred as the Kings person like the
Kings acts. it is never questioned However
incongruous or unjust. anything which can be
referred to the, magic word t%dnlnien, custom"
10 without further ado invested with a ~sanctity
which respect and even reverence.
Where this one word can be invoked. dishonesty
| and corruption are condoned.
brought up among immemorial traditions.
should be able thoroughly to Grasp, the mean
i~lization which has been suddenly thrust upon
them. They are not to be blamed IL. Ill too
many ma yvioofi,ith their r. ad TIiS r. and ndo critics; - fh eieS S89o
lights. crested note paper and Photographic.
the sgpsrfelalities, Of modern life; The far
To be permanent, such things must come by
slow growth and by persistent strugRle. Japan.
It is true, has performed. what would have
killed q feebler nation. No people In. the
tropics can possess the Japanese sturdinesS
and vitality in Siam, the work must. Of neces-
sity. be gradual. We may illustrate what we
mean by a glance at the former fiscal admins
tration. In the old days. the outlying provinces
of Siam were governed by vassal chiefs, who.
as long as they paid designated tributes to the
King de JdctO. might rule or misrule. as they
wished. Their sons succeeded SO long as they
made themselves agreeable TO the overload.
after the province and pay me, l will keep
comes along" fhroughout Ind9-China's his
tory, no ruler Of q province had ever re-
ceiyed q salary; it was the recognized right
Ct the Governor to make. what he could. and tor
his subordinates to do the same. each accord
ing to his position, and ingenuity. The COM
mon people would have done likewise had they
found themselves In a similar position. For. 1t
was tamnien, the custom. No one disputed the
legitimacyof the method. provided 1t was en-
ployed with moderation. 1t b4ing the only ono
open to an official by which to make his living.
The result was that. under the majority OF pro-
vinclal Governors. each bent on securing q
competence for his large family. any man who
had made q little money was liable to be
brought to court on some fantastic charge
and have his goods conf1scated. while. the
highest bidder always got O favorable deci-
sion from the Judge.