Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-05-11
SAYS HE'S SUNS
F-BR0THER'
"FuII Brother of Moon" and "Su-
preme Arbiter of the Tides"
Other Names.
HE IS THE KING OF SIAM.
NOW ON Ills Way 70 Trauce and win
Also Visit King Edward--onc
Of Richest rotcrtatcs.

Special Correspondence.
4 ONDON, May 1.-jadcd London
crs are eagerly looking forward
to the approaching visit OF Phra
Parumiudr Mahu Chulalong-
korn, the king OF Siam-which Is now
timed for the middle OF May East
cru monarchs are always more inter-
cstiug to the crowd than European
royalties. It is the misfortune of most
of these latter 20 look just like plain.
everyday folk. especially when dress
ed, ms they generally are when they
appear in public, i'm the conventional
somher trock coat and top hat Of
civilization. As a spectacle they are
distinctly disappointing.
Eastern rulcgs are different They
look different. They wear gorgeous
rahueut. And when they stir abroad
they don't smile and shipper and
jerk their heads like automatrns
when people cheer them. No king
can look dignihcd doing that. Duslty
potcntltvs accept homage as matter
OF cour5a. and treat It with lofty in
difference, as becomes men who re-
gard themselves as a higher order
of crcation-real kings and not figure
heads
HIS STRING OF TITLES.
There is no sovereign in the world
who Is accustomed to receive more
abJect homage than his majesty of
siam. He possesses a most iluposing
string of titles. Among other things
he is supreme arbiter of the ebb and
lOw of the tides. brother OF the moon.
half brother OF tho sun and owner OF
four and twenty golden umbrellas
Whenever he takes an airing in his
own domain his faithful subjects
pr0sJrate themselves as he passes ny,
no matter how muddy the streets may
happen to be Even the highest in the
land when they approach his august
prcsnco must do So on all fours. His
favOrite wives have to kneel before
him His brothers do likewise. So
King Chulllongkohn is not likely to
be much impressed by a crowd that
keeps ON its legs before him and
shouts and waves hats and handker-
chiefs at him. He won't bob his head
until his neck aches. az European
kings are expected to do when they
shown themselves to the public.
AUToCRATIC POWERS.
AS king of Siam, Chulalongkorn
has a much easier billet than the oc-
cupants Of European thrones. He is
invested With powers as autocratic as
those of the czar of Russia, but his is
a patcrnal despotism which is not
tempered by assassination Siamese
folk don't throw bombs and none OF
them has vet reached that stage of
enlightenment in which monarchs are
regarded rs costly superiluities. Chu-
lulongkorn Is not required to lead the
strenuous life. He can take things
as easy as he pleasos. His income is
something like S10,O00,000 a year.
His gorgeous royal palace at Bangkok
lbs a walled ana battlemented city
within a city. Behind the line of not
very warlike sentries who guard its
massive gates Is contained treasure
far in excess Of the loot obtained by
tho greatest feat OF robbery commit
tea I'm modern timcs-the sacking Of
the summer palace of Pelcn in 1860.
II is really q double palace--an outer
and an inner palace. Into the latter
no European OF the male sex has ever
penetrated. II contains about 1000
women and one man. And that man
rs the king. The Siamese call tho
place Kaug nal ("The Inside"J and
So sacred is 1t held that etiquette for
bids any open allusion TO 1t.
The most extraordinary feature ot
the Kang Mai * the submerged harem.
situated IN an artificial lake. 1t IS
built entirely OF glass of variegated
colors the plates being joined togeth-
tr NV an insoublc cement, 1T is ornu-
mented with quaint turrcts and minar-
cts When not In use II floats on the
surface of the lake When the king
desires 90 take his ease within Il, &C
companied by his harem favorites he
enters the single door which, when
closed is air and Waler-tight. At ~
signal certain valves are opened and
the house of glass descends TO the bot
tom of the lake The arrangements Tor
supplying fresh air are perfect, I'M
the hot summer wenthT j. arords u
deNciousy cool retreat, and there
Chulalung is accustomed 10 while
manv IDLE hours away rejoicing,
doubtless, that Fate dld not summon
him 10 reign over progressive ana
civilized people, That famous saying
of Shakespeare Uneasy He's the
head that wears crown does not APP
ply TO him.
DOMESTIC TROUBLES
I'M accordance with eastern custom
hr e 20 much mnrrlei imam. HU has t
score ur two Of official wives and nu-
body knows inst how many hundreds
of what might hr termed courtesy
wives. though Boa solomon tim. .ur|
were known hy another name o.. 'H"
yyaTs the only trouble ur Nu- know
has come nom hIs WI, ANA iN.
was his own fault lH Ir .U Ul1..r'
man. Ile talks English Nu.W'r aHI
credited Nth Hp".rr TtH..".
some haIf do2 ulh A-.#'.. la
quares hut probably Ut 'uwsl. r'f.
hHNu boon piNIla NH" '|t' tl'
oyer Tina. muy be. m a. 'fa. chat a'
OWL hour hu conceived on. JON cha
.umu of uIH W.". "uu'N u 'l"''
agreeable Hu. .H'.HU| '.r COMP. no
NJ in.g Nlru r.H"u HHH,iHr."f nI .'n-
cation .n 'h' European s.' 8
gaI poEunUH' 'f imported .fpm
r.rrftII I. .uI'rI.Hu rH.l Am1rE