The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1913-11-06

travel returned home to take, up the
serious study of his fathers Kingdom II was
thought that as matter Of course he would fol-
low the custom of the royal house to which ne
belonged and marry. But greatly to the aston
ishment of the entire realm this he hatly refused
to do and not even his fathers kingly requests
could change his decision. Now, marriage Dy
Siamese monarch means not the simple taking
of one wife, but the complicated and wholesome
absorption Of hundred His late majesty King
Chulalongkorn had three wives when ne was
crown prince and added 81 others to his mousse
hold before ascending the throne, and his FATHER
the great Mongkut, claimed many hundreds OF
wives So when young Prince Vajiravudh turned
his back upon the beauties Of the court and
would have none of them he established prece-
dent of celibacy unheard of in his domain since
before time was
There was never suspicion of scandal con-
nected with the prince either while he was at
Sandhurst or at Christ college, Oxford; nor dur
ing his many visits to Berlin, Paris, Madrid,
Vienna or London-covering many years of his
most unreasonable age-not even word during
his flying trip through the states and II he went
back to his Asiatic throne leaving his heart here
or in Europe the world has never been notified
of the matter has any particular caretaker
been singled out the possible happy custodian
Of the royal gift.
But should this rumor have than the
usual claim for credence-should his majesty
Maha Vajiravudh, the supreme ruler OF all siam,
marry an Amercan"-what then? There Is no
royal family in this democratic country from
which the young man could or should make his
choice and by so doing cement the bonds that
already hold his little kingdom In far away Asia
very close to Uncle Sans heart But there are
American ladies a-plenty that are fair to look
upon rightminded and talented enough to be any
monarchs queen, and If this be culture quest
as we'll as a longing of the heart-there can be
no question of money in the affair, no bargain
OF gold for title, for Slam Is one OF the rlcnest
Of the little kingdoms Of the world and her SOW
ereign holds by the right of possession legal
title to about everything worth having In his
entire state-if this then be quest of the royal
girl his majesty could make no better choice
than one Of the true American nobility, many
of whose daughters already serving IN similar
positions of trust and responsibility with rare
distinction and dignity though as corulers over
smaller principalities.
When the writer child he remembers
being taken by the hand by King Mongkut, Vail
ravudh's grandfather, and being led into the
kings favorite room-his American ROOM On
the walls were rows Of portraits of the presidents
Of the United States They were not good like
nesses-some of them-but they were the best
his native artist could make from the photo
graphs and other pictures his majesty had &C.
cured They were all there, however, and in
order, from Washington to the ruler at that time
Abraham Lincoln.
II am very fond Of America" said his majesty,
AS he closed the door, Every fond. And some
day we are to be united"
Was this prophecy, that, uttered half CEN
tury ago. is to be fulfilled by the marriage of his
grandson to an American?
Old King Mongkut patterned his policy OF
righteous rule as closely after the principles
found in the Declaration of Independence as he
dared and remain on the throne Of his father.
His son, King Chulalongkorn, never ceased to
lament that he was not permitted to see the
promised land Of America. His multiplicity OF
wives and his desire to bring more than one
with him on his official visit caused GOODNESS
in Washington diplomatic circles that damped
his ardor at the time-and he insisted upon his
son making special effort ITO visit the United
States and personally meet the president of the
great country of which your grandfather was SO
fond and which have been unable to see'
There have always existed the most cordial
relations between these two Numerically OPP
posed governments-the most desEotie and the
most democratic. France has bullied her Asiatic
others; the descendant of a line OF princes dat
Ing back tc time when Egypt was In her in
fancy and before Greece was born; he, the Illus
trious, the lnviotible, the divine master of the
fnot A. Rup