The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-02-27
.EMPEROR'S SILVER WEDDING
Quietly Celebrated By Royal Family
in Berlin Today.
BIG CELEBRATION WAS FIRST PLANNED
DEATH OF KING CHRISTIAN
CAUSED A CHANGE IN THE
ORIGINAL PROGRAM.
BIG CELEBRATION WAS FIRST PLANNED
silver wedding

silver W6uQlflS q
BERLIN, Feb. 27.-Twenty-five
years ago today, on February q, 1881,
Emperor William, then crown prince
of Prussia, and incidentally of the en-
pire of the United Germany, was mar
ried to the Princess Augusta Victo-
ria of Schleswig- MISUNDERSTANDING
Augustenburg, then a girl barely %.
Considering the fact that this is the
silver anniversary of the wedding and
as such, is an event of considerable
Importance, the celebration of today
throughout the German empire was
rather tame. The celebration was not
originally intended to be so quiet
The Germans love their emperor too
much and are too fond of brilliant
celebrations to let an anniversary of
such Importance pass by without
making it the occasion for grand
popular demonstrations, unless there
is some very good reason for it.
Was to Have Been Big Affair.
According to the original program
the wedding anniversary was to have
been a grand state occasion and the
crowned heads of all Europe were to
be invited to take part in a magnifi-
cent celebration. 1t was also to have
the wedding of Prince Eitel Freder-
of hn n
Duchess Sophie Charlotte of Olden-
burg, take place on the same day,
an arrangement which would have
made the day even more memorable.
But this arrangement was complete
ly changed by the emperor Various
reasons have been assigned for the
change in the program, but it is fair
ly well understood that the action of
the emperor was due principally to his
desire to avoid the eclat of a humil-
iating slight by the British court by
a clever ccntre-coup. 1t had been
semi-officially announced that the
British royal house would not be rep
resented at the celebration in Berlin,
OWN" to the existing friction between
Germany and Great Britain. That
would have meant a serious slight
and would surely have caused bad
blood between the two countries. To
avoid such an eventuality the emperor
decided that the celebration should b
mere family affair, devoid of any
official character, and that no official
invitations should be sent to any Ell
ropean court.
Court Mourns for Christian.
All that happened some time before
the death of King Christian of Den
mrak The unexpected death of that
monarch, who was so closely connect
ed with nearly every ruling family in
Europe, naturallv put a damper upon
all public court functions in all Eu-
ropean countries. The fact that the
court is in mourning for King Chris
tan makes it appear perfectly natu-
raj that all state display should be
omitted and the celebration confined
as much as possible to the immediate
family of the imperial couple.
The reason for the postponement of
the wedding of Prince Eitel Frederick
is said to have been, that the emperor
did not wish to deprive his son of the
pleasure of brilliant ceremony, with
all the pomp attending the presence
OF large number of royal personages.
Such display would have been impos-
sible on the wedding anniversary of
tn eemperor, after he had decided to
make 1t close family affair.
Although for the double reason OF
the emperor's wish and the state of
mourning, the silver wedding of the
! imperial couple was not attended by
| any state ceremonies, there was
enough to see, to hear and to read
about the event to satisfy the gay and
loyal people in Berlin and throughout
Germany. There was Thanksgiving
service in the schlosskirche this morn
ing at which the entire imperial fam
lily was present, besides many others
in some way connected with the royal