The Prescott daily news., 1911-02-11
ANNIVERSARY OF Hi5 BIRTH IS ELABORATELY CELEBRATED
 IN SPRINGFIELD.
PRESIDENT TAFT IS GUEST
Welcomed by Legislature in Joint Ses- sion-Ceremony at the Monu- ment and Big Banquet
 This Evening.

day more elaDOrately than ever De- fore, and the occasion is made more notable by the presence of President Taft as the guest of honor, and of many other distinguished citizens from various parts of the country,
 The city hall, the arches on the pub lie square, the interior of the capitol building and many residences are handsomely decorated and business has been practically suspended during the day.
 Arrival of The President.
 President Taft and his party ar rived early in the afternoon. having been brought in Congressman McKin- leys private car on the interurban from Decatur where they were met by Representative Israel Dudgeon of Morris, chairman of the joint legisla- tive committee in charge of the pro- gram. As soon as Mir. Taft alighted from the car the parade was formed with Maj. Gen Edward c. Young of Chicago as grand marshal and Adj. Gen. F. S Dickson as his chief of staff
 The First regiment. from Chicago. acted as an escort to the president and that regiments band supplied the military music, turning out eighty five strong. The parade moved down Capitol avenue to the state house as the presidential salute of twenty-One guns was being fired
 At the Capitol and the Monument.
 Arriving at the capitol. the soldiers were drawn up in two lines and the president entered the building and was received by the two houses of the legislature in special joint sess1on. To the lawmakers he made his first ad- dress of the day, speaking briefly but spiritedly. Mir. Taft and the other visitors were then escorted to the old Lincoln home at Eighth and Jackson streets. The house is preserved by the state just as it was during the civil war period, and is visited an nually by thousands.
 From the home the visitors were taken to Oak Ridge cemetery, where the martyred presidents remains rest l beneath the new monument. Mir. Taft and the other guests entered the me morial chapel in the monument and reverently viewed the priceless Lin coin relics preserved there. These l include much of Lincoln's correspond. ence and the famous autobiography which he wrote on one sheet of paper The party also viewed the empty sar cophagus iu which Lincoln's body lay for many years
 MT. Lincoln's remains probably will never be viewed again by mortal eye Following the memorable attempt tC steal the body in 1880 when it rested in the old vault on the hillside over looking the lagoon the Lincoln monu ment commission decided. when the plans of the new reconstructed monu ment were under consideration, that provision should be made to deposit the body in it's last resting place be meath the concrete foundation of the towering obelisk Accordingly the body is now imbedded in solid con crete and beneath a solid base oi concrete 15 feet thick. Engineers have estimated that it would require blasting by powerful explosives foi several days to uncover the body now
 From the cemetery the presidential party was escorted in automobiles tC the executive mansion where Cover nor and Mrs. Deneen held a public reception.
 The continuation of the days events is to be the great banquet in the ar senal this evening, under the auspice. of the Lincoln Centennial association and the Springfield chamber of com merce. The principal speakers vii - be President Taft, whose subject vii be Abraham Lincoln" and Martin w Littleton of New York. Judge J. Otis Humphrey of the United States ais trict court is to act as toastmaster.