New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-20
TAFTS Celebrate
SILVER Wedding
More than 5000 Guests Offer
Congratulations to the Pres'.
dent and His Wife.
ON WHITE HOUSE GROUNDS
Cabinet, Congress, Supreme
Court and Diplomatic Corps
Represented in Throng
of Notable Persons.
Lr-orl The rrbune Rureau-

Washington. June NeFfi p'i"'' ~
the history OF the White House was SO
brilliant an entertainment given as to-
night. when the President and Mrs. Tart
celebrated their silver wedding anniver-
sary. Not even the wedding OF PRESIDENT
cleveland and Miss Folsom awakened
more world wide interest. Long oeiors
tho host and hostess came down 70 re-
ceive their guests. five thousand persons
had gathered on the lawn OF the Wni'e
House 10 greet them, and when tneN
finally began their triumphant march II
was along a widely cheering crowd or
men in evening clothes. women IN ths
daintiest Of evening gowns ana nun
sreds Of officers in their white uniforms
while in a group were the diplomats
from thirty different countries to pay
/ their homage.
As the great throng watched ana
waited the twelve ushers in white ap-
roared the Marine Band. stationed on
the south front portico. burst into rne
star Spangled Banner" a great electric
flag overhead flashed light ana tne
President and Mrs Taft reached the oal-
cor, facing the lawn amid ROUNDS or
,nnlause There was a moments silence
and Mendelssohn's Wedding March
u.as plaved as the long line OF wnite ca"
aids came down the stairway and opened
the way along the carpeted walk ieaninH
70 ,he lawn. Following them came 'he
senior aids Of the White House Coionei
Cosby. Major Palmer, Major Butt ana
Cantsir Johnston. Behind them walked
rho President and Mrs. Taft followed oy
Tho members Of the Cabinet and the SIS
- urs TAFT and the brothers or the
President.
rha scane which greeted them was M
sniring. thousands of red. white ana o'ue
alectric bulbs and strings Of japanese
lanterns encrcling the grounos' WI"
forest trees blazing with colored ngnts
and the fountain playing under the glow
of them all and rejecting back the ram
how hues Mrs. Taft wore splendia
govn os heavy white satin. with panel
at the back and front heavily emorolo
cred IN silver flowers, and Jewels and
flowers completing her costume. she
wore her hair parted and gracstuiiy
turned away from her face. the effect
heing most becoming. happy snliie
was on her face throughout the recep-
tion.
In the Receiving Party.
Near the President and Mrs Tart
when they took their places beneath the
trees on the lawn with the Nice-Presi-
dent and Mrs. Sherman, who Just year
ago celebrated their own silver wedding,
and the members Of the Cabinet, were
the Presidents aunt Miss Della Torrey;
Miss Helen Taft. Robert Taft. Charles
TAFT Horace D. Taft. the brother OF the
President and others Of the house party,
who have been at the White House for
several davs A special aisle was made
for the diplomats and the French AM
bassador and Nine. Jusserand and the
Japanese Ambassador and Baroness
Ichida, with their suites, opened tho
wav for the other members Of the diplo-
matte corps and the five thousand guests
who waited 10 wish the President ard
Mrs Taft years more OF health happi-
ness and prosperity.
! AS fast as the guests were received
they were shown 20 the drawing rooms
OF the White House, each one completely
| lined with the flowers sent as memcntos
Of the day The Red Room was lined
with American Beauty roses and the
( Blue Room with rare orchids and other
flowers OF dainty colors. Mrs Tafts
white and gold piano was banked with
these offerings. Many OF the flowers had
been placed in the silver baskets. bowls
END vases sent as gifts from friends. y
large basket from Justice and Mrs. Ilar-
! Ian was filed with orchids. and a mas
sive silver fern dish OF wonderful work.
ruanship. fully three feet in circumfer-
..nce. sent by the President OF Guate-
mala. was banked with orchids. The
great wedding cake ornamented the con-
! ire Of the long table in the state dining
room.
Among the guests TO greet the Prest-
dnt and Mrs. Taft were prominent per-
sons from all parts of the country in
Guiding a number OF the Governors ot
states the ex-Secretary Of the Treasury
ano Mrs. Leslie NJ Shaw. and many who
h;.ye figured in The cabinets OF o.her
Presidents.
Mrs. Taft remained throughout the re-
ception. going 10 a place of vantage on
the south front balcony after receiving
the guests There Der family clustered
about and congratulated her. The crowd
was the largest ever accommodated in
such a manner al the White House
Reception on the Lawn.
The cool. clear night. which made
reception in the open air possible, pre-
vented th, crush that the White House
had feared and made the reception not
only brilliant and unusual but delight
f,ll in every respect. The guests would
have filed the White House To- overflow
ing but the grounds are ample and there
was no crush and confusion.
Possibly fifteen thousand persons
crowded about the iron fence surround
ing the grounds and looked longingly AZ
the electric display. the splashng fouu-
tain and the gay throng within. WASH
,nrton seldom becomes excited. but to-
night IL showed its interest in the ami
versary of the President in unmistak-
able fashion.
The cards said that the reception
WOULD begin at . o'clock. and promptly
on the hour the President and Mrs TAFT
came Slowly down The staircase of the