Commentary

By "The Cowboy" Jim Gray

As spring approached on the Kansas plains, Mother Nature once again asserted her superiority over the best laid plans of civilization.

Drought was being reported from the Rio Grande on the Mexican Border all the way across the plains to the Canadian border. The March 1, 1879, Salina Herald reported prairie fires all around the city. The barren ground was blowing to the extent that, “real estate moved considerably this week.”

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By Rep. Steven Johnson

This past week in the legislature brought us to our turnaround point. The last days of the session were spent in full days on the House floor to finish work passed out of committees. Many bills were debated each day. The most dramatic event was likely the governor’s veto of the House tax bill.

Wednesday at 8:30 a.m., the governor vetoed the tax bill. In his statements, he referred to fiscal responsibility and to the House plan as irresponsible. It is right to take seriously the role we have to manage valued taxpayer dollars.

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By "The Cowboy" Jim Gray

The name “Chisholm Trail” is known around the world. 

Popular culture has immortalized the name in books, radio, television, movies, and song. In the age of information, a search on my computer gave 467,000 results. Without quotation marks, there were over one million results!

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By Jerry Marsh

Friday, Feb. 17, 2017, the Kansas Senate passed HB 2178, “An Act Concerning Income Tax ...”, by a vote of 22-18; the Kansas House passed the bill the day before by a vote of 76-48. Gov. Brownback has 10 calendar days to decide which action he will take (until Feb. 27). He can sign the bill, allow it to pass without his signature, or veto it.

Although this bill goes a long way towards repairing Kansas fiscal structure, Gov. Brownback has condemned the bill as “a big step backwards.” In spite of his opposition, he has not said he will veto it.

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By "The Cowboy" Jim Gray

White Cloud was Head Chief of the Ioway (Iowa) tribe located along the Des Moines River of southeastern Iowa and northwestern Missouri. During the War of 1812 White Cloud led his people to the western border of Missouri near the Missouri River to escape any contact with the war. Sometime during those tumultuous years of separation a son, Francis White Cloud, was born.

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By Rep. Steven Johnson

Budget topics continue to dominate much of the session and the hearings in the House appropriations, tax and K-12 budget committees. The appropriations committees have been working on agency budgets in the subcommittees.

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By "The Cowboy" Jim Gray

While thumbing through the book Death on the Western Frontier: Kansas 1875-79, my eye was drawn to the story of a young homesteader’s wife. Mrs. Menzes’ husband had left the homestead for a short trip into the town of Bunker Hill, Kan., just a few miles away. The couple and their two children lived eight miles southeast of Russell. Their story was posted in the Russell County Record of Feb. 8, 1877.

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By Jerry Marsh

How does one go about converting a neighbor and ally into an adversary and perhaps an enemy?

In general, refuse to work with them to solve common problems in a rational and respectful manner. Pursue tactics and policies rooted in insults and intimidation, tactics and policies like the following:

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By "The Cowboy" Jim Gray

In a report dated Jan. 30, 1830, Indian Agent John Dougherty noted that governmental intervention in the lives of the Indians dwelling in the Missouri River region was not living up to expectations. The effort to shift their culture from primarily a hunting existence to an agrarian lifestyle was showing no improvement. In his estimation, they knew no more than they had always known. Only able to grow “ in a very rude manner, a little corn, a few beans and pumpkins ... ”, they were at the point of starvation. He was no more impressed with their education.

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By John Schlageck

High yields and low prices characterize Kansas commodities. Discouraged, pure and simple. The family farm: Withering on the vine. There will be a moment of truth. Those are a few of the current economic headlines proclaiming our farmer’s plight as numerous as the extra bushels of corn, beans, wheat and other crops that have helped depress prices.

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