Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-07-27

THE OMAHA SUNDAY
Views and Reviews
TatYs Plan for Treaty Conn.,
promise Mentioned When Here
Mr.. Taft's proposal for attaching reserva-
tons or interpretations to ratification of the
peace treaty seems to have caught the country
by surprise, but, as a matter of fact, the posi-
ton he has taken doesn't reflect a sudden
change, as happen to know from the tenor of
his talk when he last passed through Omaha a
month ago. On this trip he had delivered ad-
dresses at Schuyler, Lincoln and Wahoo and
was sensing growing opposition to uncondi-
tional ratification. He spoke very earnestly
and voiced his belief that the treaty could be
accepted without danger, and especially the
League of Nations section but was by no
means overconfdent. l asked him point-blank
what, III his opinion, would be the outcome and
he answered me frankly.
1T looks to me" he said, "as if we would
have deadlock which will only be avoided or
broken by compromise. The friends of the
league are assured they will command ma
motion to amend, but fear they will fall short
OF the two-thirds majority necessary to ratify.
Under such conditions, the two sides can get
together by finding common ground in reserva-
tons OF the nature proposed by Mr.. Root--not
the precise phraseology, but accumulation Of
the points that would be satisfactory to two
thirds of the senator's"
| ntimated that perhaps he was vet to be
cast i'll the role of the great compromiser, but
he laughed it off with a jocular remark that he
doubted whether he was popular with either
side. From the general tone of the whole con-
versaon, it is fair to conclude that that last
western trip is what determined Mr. Taft to
propose compromise arrangement as the only
way out.
My old friend, Al Sorenson, who was at the
time reporter for The Bee, and is unques-
tionably the best posted person alive on Omaha
history, has been Strengthening out some facts
relating to the donation of Hanscom park to
the city Of Omaha in 1872 He recalls that of
the 80-acre tract, 20 acres were given by James
G. Megeath, who deferred to A. J. Hanscom, as
the contributor of the larger part, the honor of
having the park named after him. Sorenson
tells how he accompanied Joseph H. Willard,
then mayor, and all the city councilmen, in
Guiding Councilman Jim Stephenson, the ia
nous liveryman, to the park in the latter's
tally-ho coach, drawn by a handsome and
sprghtly four-horse team to make an inspec-
ton of the ground and how the mayor and
council decided at once to accept the generous
donation and to comply with certain condi-
TONS"
Sorenson does not tell what the conditions
were, but they are set forth in the deed ON
record over in the court house and are in brief
these: First, that the land be forever used as
a public park; second, that it be designated as
Hanscom park; third, that the city spend $4,000
for its Improvement during the year 1873, $4,000
each year for the next three years, $4,000 each
year for 1877 and 1873, and forever keep the
premises in good order and repair; otherwise it
was to be an Indian gift and be taken back by
the donors There is this further provision
that an additional strip of land for an SO-foot
space entirely surrounding the park is
specifically conveyed for street purposes to be
laid out and improved by the city as public
highway and forever kept in good order and
repair. Failure on the part of the city to OBJ
serve these conditions would give the title of
the street tract to the owners of the property
facing on it and deprive the park OF means Of
ingress and egress except by airship.
There is some question whether the city
lived up to its obligation and there was con-
troversy once which might have been serious
when the city sought to assess special improve
ment taxes against abutting land owners who
had bought with the understanding that the
gl1t OF the park exempted them from such pay
ments which contention, believe was upheld
in the courts. Be that as it may, the city has
this beautiful park constantly becoming more
and more servceabe and valuable to the COM
munity as the result of the vision of these two
pioneers, and, since it carries Mr.. Hanscom's
name, something ought to be done some day
in a public and permanent way, to show APP
probation of Mr.. Megeath's part in it.
Here is good story which is going the
rounds as told by General Pershing:
IT was standing near headquarters tent
when l noticed that certain captain who was
standing near by had fallen into the habit
every time private saluted him. of answering
the salute with military precision, but following
it up with the words, The same to you
Finally l called him over and asked, Captain
why do you say "the same to you," every time
you return the salute of private?' The cap
tain grinned. It's this way, general; was
private once, myself, and I know what they
say under their breath every time they salute
an officer"
III r.