Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1920-08-17

looked over twenty of the states of the Union
He is the only eastern monarch with western
educaton-the most democratic despot in the
world. For Siam is absolute monarchy; pos
sibly the most absolute monarchy in existence
today. Rama VI holds in the palm OF his hama
only the property and possessions of his
9000,0O0 subjects, but their very lives A few
years ago when China was in the thrOes or DOT
one, but of several revolutions, and had declared
two republics" the spirit of unrest started to
trickle down into little SIAM but stopped at the
border Siam is called the kingdom of "Muang
Thai" ("the People of the Free'), and nothing
could enter that paradise to disturb that free
dom" The country is so prosperous, the taxes
fire so low, the advantages are so. numerous that
those living in C'0chin-Chna the east and in
Burma the west are Nclamoring TO get over the
Siamese fence to become partakers of the plenty
that awaits all who make their home in this en-
chantpd land.
A ruler who is so wise and so good, so gener'
and so far-Sighted, is capable OF performing
many modern miracles He is but forty years OF
age and has been the throne ten years. His
father ruled for f0rty-two his grandfather
hale and hearty at sixty-three. With his consti-
tuition of iron and his well known temperance in
all things nothing but an mtOward accident should
deprive Siam of her democratic ruler and the
world of of the progressves of the age
over half century ago King Mongkut had in
his palace what he called his american room."
Around the walls were paintings of every presi-
dent of the United States. Often he has been
heard to say
Il am planning my own country on the customs
and the laws of America"
His son. the late King ChulalongkOrn. sent his
son to the White House in Washington for visit
"that has been denied me. and which l
slider to be one of the greatest of deprvations."
Ever since Siam opened to the West
America has been foremost in the minds and the
hearts of the SameSe rulers. And If in his best
Judgment this eastern monarch shall find suit
able mate among the women of America he will
hut cement the long friendship between the land
of the free" of Asia and that other land of the
free Of America
Many years ago Siamese monarch found him.
self among a people without a of high
enough rank for him TO make his queen. SO he
married his own sister. Since that time the Gus
tom has prevailed that the ruling monarch must
marry at least one of his half-ssters for the
heir must be possessed of royal blood on both
sides The late queen mother the half-sister
therefore were eligible kingship The late prince
was the next in age TO the king. and. in every
way. was the rghtful heir to the throne Educated
in England and France and having lived for a
lang time in Russia where he was captain of the
guard to the ear, it but natural that he
follow in the footsteps of many of the other men,
beers of the nobility and the royal family of the
Siamese court and marry foreigner His choice
was Russian lady. not of royal birth. but of
good lineage who became Princess Catherine of
the Si"mese court The new princess was a vi
vaciorlS young woman. handsome clever. good
IinguiSt and an aaround wife worthy of the bril-
liant man she had captured
She quick TO pick up the Siamese tongue