Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-03-01


wives.
During his last illness, which was
protractcd, Mr.. Strobel asked for an
assistant and was permitted 10 select
another American. Mr.. Jens Ivens
Westcnyard also an instructor at
Harvard. This gentleman succeeded
Mr.. Strobel as general adviser under
the late king. and his services were
SO satisfactory thai he has been con-
tinued in the office under the new
king
One feature of the civilization of the
Sfamese people inculcated by the late
king and continued by the present
monarch will be particularly aprreci
ated in the United States, and that
is the love of education. The late
king began to promote this many
years ago. He sent his son. the pres
emit king, TO England vhen he was
II Years old and kept him there until
he was "a. After his education was
pronounced complete the young man
left England and Travelled through
out Europe and then around the
world, passing through the United
states during the administration of
President Roosevelt. He visited all
the principal cities of the Union and
Canada aud took home to Siam
feeling of admiration for this country
which he is said TO express upon
every suitable occasion.
Qne of the last acts OF the late
king Is being cited here rs exempt
fl ing his broad enlightment. an en-
lightenmcnt not out Of harmony. 1t
is stated, with the elevated humanity
and morality of buddhism, the M
tional religion of Siam. Just prior to
his death the king instructed his son
to see that no money be expended
for eXtravaSant display At his funer-
al but that such fund as the young
king might desire to devote to the
memory Of his father be expended
for the benefit Of charitable institu-
tons. The new king therefore gave
orders that all acquisitions from for
eiSn missions in his country FOR
books or school desks or for furnish
ings for places of religious worship
he honored out of the government
treasury This generosity was eX-
tended to all scots and denomiua tons.
whether Protestant. Catholic or tiU7
hammedan. In Siam there is entire
religious tolerance and all foreign
missions and missionaries are prp~
teeted and made absolutely safe in
all parts Of the kingdom.
In the system of public schools IS
tablished throughout Siam, English is
the one foreign language chiefly
taught. and II is said the Slamese
government has for long time looked
with peculiar favor upon tnose fore
ign missions which taught this Ian
Suase, although the most open Ell
eoutagemcnt is extended to all foreign
missions and particularly t. the
schools they conduct The reason Of
course. for encouraging the teaching
Of English is thai this is the conn
mereal language Ut the far east. The
Asiatie side of the Pacific is fast COM
ing 10 transact all its commercial at
fairs bs means OF that ldnauase. and
at the same time tie fact is not lost
sight of that the eastern side Of that
ocean is also largely dominated by
Englishspeaking people.
The govel nment OF Siam sends
every year about 90 selected young
men 10 England to receive their cdu
eaten. Smaller numbers are also
sent To various countries of Europe
and 10 the United States. These arr
expected in time To take the place of
the Europeans now employed in the
various departments of the Siamese
government including the operation
eff the railroads. which. with the ex-
ceptian Of Il few spurs, are ali gov
ernment property.
Owing to their straight, black hair
ana dark eyes the Siamese bear
some general resemblance to the
Japanese. But their eyes are straight
aud the general expression of tn"
Siamcse Countenanee Is mere that Of
tho European. Indeed. one of the
curious and unexplainable things re-
lated is that, while japanese has
difficulty in telling a Siamcse from "A
Japanese. Il Siamese is infalliblc in
making the distinction on sight. The
Siamese have fully as intense Il
patriotism as the Japanese, and there
is said to be no instance of Il Siam
csc failing to come forward eheerfullx
to serve lie three years in the army
required of every able bodied male
subject \ maguiheently trained and
equipped army Of 10000 men is taking
part in the coronation parades in
bangkok. Those educated Siamese
who have visited the United States
have all spoken English fuently and
accurately Boston Herald