The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1923-05-09
Tho Wat Temple Phra keo.

| prepared by the National Geographic So
ciety, Washington, D. c.
Slam, known in the past as "Th'
Kingdom of the White Elephant" still
Is associated In many minds with tina
picturesque and romantic symbol
Tucked away as this country Is II
aday western world, 1t is not generally
known that 1t has advanced far from
the conditions In force when the frs
pioneer travellers from Europe were
charmed by It's quaint customs and It's
semi-barbaric splendor. In reality the
development Of Siam along modern
lines may well be lil1ened--if the com
parison is not pushed toe closely-tc
that Of Japan since Commodore Perry
opened up that empire to the world
1t Is typical of changed conditions that
q one-time elephant path In its capital
Is now traversed by an electric street
car line.
Siam has Its peculiar interest from
the religious point Of view, for 1t Is
the only Independent nation in which
Buddhism is the state religion (Tibet
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 all other
religious beliefs freely permitted but
the government has accepted the prin-
ciple that mans religion shall not bar
him from even the higher administra-
tive and judicial positions.
Physically the chief region Of Slam
may be compared to Lower Mesopo-
tamia In the days when a complex sys-
TEN 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-
lions 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 In 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
a plate to the Gulf of Siam. Into the
gulf flows the Menam and q network
Of other streams, and near the mouth
IF the great waterway dominating 1t
IS New Orleans dominates the Missis-
,ippi, is Bangkok, Slams capital and
and one of the chief cities
# the Far East.
The great importance Of the low
lelta country-the heart of Siam-is
Is a gigantic rice field. The river, like
hose of all alluvial countries, Is higher
han the plain 1t traverses. In the wet
season 1t overflows It's banks, making
great lake Of the entire countryside
or miles from the river-bed. AS the
ioods recede the overlooked land is
into rice fields ana In o
ew months has contributed its annual
ARREST Of millions of pounds of the
,read of the East. That Siam Is
prosperous and its people well fed is
hown by the fact that the country
las been consistent exporter of hun
Ireds of thousands Of tons Of rice.
To such an extent Is rice the doml-
lant crop Of Siam that it may be said |
o be a "one-crop country" more truly |
han are the southern states of Amer
ca, where cotton Is king. Hardly any |
ne thinks Of raising other crops, and |
Wealth. social position, and many 9th
r phases of life are conceived of In |
erms of this all-important grain. The
My other economic activity of Siam |
roper that Is worthy of mention be-
ides rice culture Is the lakewood In |
ustry, carried on In the forests of the |
orth. Though the annual value of the |
eak exports has amounted to around |
I, 900 900 In recent years. it has repre-
ented only about one-tenth the value
f the rice exports. In addition to the
lee exported, larger quantity Is con-
umeh in the country.
I'M sense it may be said that Bang
ok as SIAM much more truly than
'ari6 may be said to be France or
,uehos Aires to be Argentina. In
ouptry of 900O,Vo0 inhabitants 1t Is
irthally the only city. It's population
5 more than half million, so that 1t
!, doughty the size Of San Francisco !