The Madison journal., 1913-11-08

! travel returned home to take up the
| serious study of his fathers kingdom it was
thought that as a matter of course he would FOL
low the custom of the royal house to which he
belonged and marry. But, greatly to the aston
ishment of the entire realm. this he fatty refused
to do, and not his fathers kingly requests"
could change his decision. Now, marriage by
Samese monarch means not the simple taking
of one wife, but the complicated and wholesome
absorption of a hundred. His late majesty King
Chulalone ekorn had three wives when he
crown prince and added 81 others to his house
hold before ascending the throne and his father.
the great Mongkut claimed many hundreds Of
wives So when young Prince Najiravudh turned
his back upon the beauties of the court and
would have none of them he established a prece-
dent of celibacy unheard of in his domain since
before time was
There was never a suspicion of scandal con-
nected with the prince either while he was at
Sandhurst at Christ college. Oxford; nor dur
ing his many visits to Berlin, Paris, Madrid,
Vienna London-covering many years of his
most impressionable age-not even word during
his flying trip through the states and if 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 more than the
usual claim for credence-should his majesty,
l
marry an American'-what then? There is no
royal family in this democratic country from
which the young man could or should make his
choice and by 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 aplenty that fair to look
upon rightminded and talented enough to be any
monarch's queen, and if this be culture quest
as well as a longing of the heart-there can be
no question of money in the affair." no bargain
of gold for title for Siam is one Of the richest
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 are already serving In similar
positions of trust and responsibility with rare
distinction and dignity though as corulers over
smaller principalities.
When the writer a 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 we're 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
cured. They were all there, however and in
order from Washington to the ruler at that time
Abraham Lincoln.
81 am very fond Of America" said his majesty,
as he closed the door, very fond. And some
day We are to be united"
Was this a 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 closely after the principles
found in the Declaration of Independence as he
dared and remain the throne of his father.
His son. King Chulalongkorn, never ceased to
lament that he 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 a coldness
in Washington diplomatic circles that damped
his ardor at the time-and he insisted upon his
son making a 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 l have been unable to see."
There have always existed the most cordial
relations between these two Numerically op-
posed governments-the most despotic and the
most democratic. France has bullied her Asiatic
others; the descendant Of line Of princes dat
ing back to a time when Egypt was in her in
fancy and before Greece was born; he. the Illus
trious, the invincible, the divine master of the
immortal souls, has played football at Rugby,