The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1923-04-20

prepared by the National Geographic So
ciety, Washington, u. 6
Siam, known in the past as me
Kingdom OF the White Elephant" still
IS associated in many minds with that
picturesque and romantic symbol.
Tucked away as this country Is in
southeastern Asia, far from the work
aday western world, il IS not generally
known that il has advanced far from
the conditions in force when the first
pioneer travellers from Europe were
charmed by its quaint customs and its
s~emi-barbaric s%plendor. In reality the
development Of Siam along modern
lines may well be likencd-if the com-
parison is not pushed toe cloSely-to
that of Japan since Commodore Perry
opened UP that empire To the world.
1t is typical Of changed conditions that
a one-time elephant path in its capitol
is now traversed by an electric street
car line.
Siam has IFS peculiar interest from
the religious point Of view, for it is
the only independent nation i'm which
Buddhism is the state religion (Tihet
being eliminated from consideration
because its political status is in QueS-
ton and because its Buddhism Is OF Il
markedly degenerate type). But though
Buddhism is the established religion,
Siam is unsurpassed in its tolerance.
Not only is the practice of I'll other
religious beliefs freely permitted, hut
the government has accepted the prin-
cipie that a mans religion shall not bar
him from even the higher adminiStra-
tive and judicial positions.
Physically the chief region of Siam
may be compared to Lower Mesopo-
tamia in the days when a complex Sys-
tenn of canals connected its famous
rivers. But the comparison must stop
with the elaborate network of waters;
for while the canals Of the Tigris and
Euphrates delta were primarily TO sup
ply water to the fields of the country,
those connecting the Menam, Slams
chief river, with its nearby streams,
are first Of all highways, and have
only in late years become increasingly
important as sources Of irrigation wa
ter. For the most part annual inunda-
| tons have been depended on to water
the rice crops.
Dominates Life Of Siam.
The great fiat delta basin Of the
Menam dominates the life OF Siam.
There are tablelands I'm the country.
and hills and mountains. But they are
but the rim which sweeps round three
sides Of the central plain. leaving the
fourth open like the broken edge OF
n plate to the Gulf Of Siam. Into the
gulf flows the Menam and a network
Of other streams, and near the mouth
Of the great waterway, dominating 1t
ns New Orleans dominates the Missis-
sippi. is Bangkok, Slams capital and
metropolis, and n OF the chief cities
of the Far East.
The great importance of the low
delta country-the heart Of Siam-is
ms Il gigantic rice field. The river. like
those Of all alluvial countries. is higher
than the plain it traverses. In the wet
season ii Oyerflows It's banks. making
a great lake of the entire countryside
for miles from the river-bed. AS the
floods recede the overlooked land Is
transformed into rice fields ana In 81
few months has contributed It's annual
harvest of millions Of pounds OF the
bread Of the East. That Siam Is
prosperous and its people well fed Is
shown by the fact that the country
has beer n consistent exporter OF hun
dreds of thousands Of m Of rice.
TO such an extent Is rice the domi-
mart crop OF Siam that 1t may be said
tn be a "one-crOp country more truly
than are the southern states of Amer
lea. where cotton is king. Hardly any
one thinks of raising other crops. ant
wealth social position, and many 9th
or phases Of life are conceived of IN
terms Of this all-important grain. The
ONLY other economic activity Of Siam
proper that is worthy Of mention he
sides rice cult,Sc is the Lakewood in
dustry. carried on In the forests Of thu
north. Though the annual value III tho
tenk exports has amounted to around
81 WO, 900 in recent years. it has repro
sented only about One-:rnth the value
of The rice eynOrts. In addition Tn Tho
rice exported. Il larger quantity Is con
suNed In the country.
In a sense il may be said that "FanS
ko,, IS Siam much mofe truly than
Paris may lie said to he France %
pucnos Ares To he Argentina. I'm :
country of 9.O0O.c0a Inhabitants IL /:
~yirtr,i,ly the only city. Its population
a morc than lialf II million. 50 that
! Is raaclly the size OF San FranciSc'