Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1911-06-19
Silver Wedding Anniversary
is Being Observed at the
White houss Today.
THE RECEPTION TONIGHT
Thousands of Electric Bulbs
Over Lawns and Gardens
Expect 5000 to Attend,

DECORATIONS Tor Wndt Is CONSIDERED TO
be the most unique reception ever
held in the capital. Workmen, have
been busy for days until now the
grounds present gala day picture for
the Taft silver wedding anniversary
celebration tonight.
Around the lawns and gardens are
thousands of electric lights that will
shed their radiance Oh the 5000 guests
expected to attend the function. Not
until today has 1t been possible to ap-
preciate how elaborate are the prepa-
rations being made at the White
House to make the twenty-ffth ami
versary of the marriage of the presi-
dent and the first lady Of the land a
most notable occasion.
"a man has only one silver wedding
anniversary" said the president the
other day in chatting with a friend.
1t Is with this in his mind that the
president has given orders that every
thing possible be done to add to the
pleasure of the thousands Of guests
who will greet him and that has caus-
ed him to exercise personal supervision
over the many details Of the arrange
ments for the occasion.
The promise for tonight is optimis-
tic, and If the weather is indeed fine
1t is certain that the White House
grounds will be beautiful beyond
comparison and that the throng with
out the gates, invitationless, but ex-
TO Nv hn{r
lresence a token of public apprecia-
ton on his anniversary, will be ten
fold greater than the comparatively
few within the inclosure. II the
weather is fnclement and the 5000
guests find 1t necessary to crowd with
In the White House, then-but that is
contingency of which President and
Mrs. Taft have not even permitted
themselves to think.
The illumination of the White House
and grounds tonight will be the most
elaborate ever attempted. The his
toric structure itself viii be outlined
IN srreaKs OF ure, thousands OF incan-
descents will glow in the oaks and
elms, strung about the executive man
sion, flooding the lawns with light
On the roof of the state, war and navy
buildings searchlights will throw col
ored beams Of light on the playing
fountain directly IN front of the great
porticochere Of the White House
Practically all the prellminaries
have been completed. The lawns have
been newly clipped, the trees and
shrubbery trimmed, the stand for the
Marine band completed and the Gov
cred canopy under which the presi-
dent and Mrs. Taft will stand to re
ceive their guests made ready and dec
grated for the occasion. This after
noon the White House Conservatives
were practically cleaned out and the
interior of the White House decorated
with wagon loads OF cut flowers. The
shops of Washington have been swept
clean of japanese lanterns to inclose
incandescent globes, which have been
strung in a great square around the
grounds Just inside the iron fence that
will divide the guests from the equally
interested public. Dozens Of tables
scattered here and there among the
trees will bear the bowls of punch and
light refreshments. On the lawn the
Marine band will play. In the east
room the engineers band will serve
the dancers. 1t will be a long re-
membered outdoor fete, tonight's re-
ception, II the fickle weather of Wash
ington holds kind and true.
States senate, the three dozen silver
plates from the house of representa-
tives and the silver service from the
United States supreme court are the
first gifts ever made by these bodies
to an individual. be he president or
private citize
From Cincinnati, the home of the
Tafts, have come numerous gifts. The
Commercial club of that city, which is
coming in a body to attend the cele-
bration, has sent a gorgeous collection
of silver. The people of Maryland
have presented q silver punch bowl,
tray and ladle, while many organiza-
tions have remembered the distin-
gulshed couple with gifts. The men,
bers Of the cabinet sent individual
presents, as have many others in
Washington intimately associated with
the Taft administration.
The gift of the Psi Epsilon club, of
which the president is a member, is a
solid silver platter of antique design
engraved "Wm. II, Taft. Beta, 49,"
and on the reverse From Psi Epsilon
Fraternity, June 10, 1911"
The Philippine party of 1908. called
''The Tafters," presented two solid sill
yer Grecian ewers twenty inches In
height and a solid silver waiter with
the monogrsms of the president and
Mrs. Taft, marked From the Taft
crs."