Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 October 1897 — The King of Siam. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The King of Siam.

Cliulalongkorn, the King of Siam, is one of the most progressive monarefis in the orient. Unlike all of his predecessors, he does not believe in absurd adulation. No subject of his is permitted to bow the head to the ground whenever Chulalongkor* comes around. The king is now 44 years old aud has 153 children and wives ad libitum. He was selected by the “great council” to rule over Siam in 18G8, the

year of his father's death. As soon as he got into power this modern monarch began to make all kinds of reforms, many of which were curtailments of his own prerogatives. He asked his subjects to come up and shake hands with him like men. He proclaimed perfect religious liberty iu all the realm of Siam, and told the Christians that they would be protected In tlieir worship. lie partly abolished slavery, built railroads and telegraphs, Improved the rivers, opened schools, hospitals aud asylums and, In one word, tried to make Siam look like the nineteenth century after instead of the nineteenth century before Christ. lie plays billiards aud reads Shakspeare.