MY PERSPECTIVE, Gary Damron

Last week we talked about the resolution of the first real conflict between Britain and her American colonies, which ended with the repeal of the Stamp Act in March of 1766. However, the lines had been drawn. Government by consent, as a right of the people became bigger than the monetary issues, and colonists were keeping track, as we'll see later, in the Declaration of Independence.

England's Declaratory Act, passed at the same time as the tax repeal, asserted that Parliament had “full power and authority to make laws and statutes of sufficient force and validity to bind the colonies ... in all cases whatsoever.” The colonists wrongly concluded that their position had been accepted and that the move was simply to save face. However, Parliament was making a statement. An accompanying Revenue Act imposed a duty on all molasses. The British called it an external, indirect tax and wrongly assumed it would be acceptable - that colonists only opposed internal, direct taxes. It was obviously not just to regulate trade, but to raise revenue without colonial input. The colonial riots that followed had created enough economic pressure to bring about repeal. Besides celebrating their victory, the colonies were establishing a pattern for resistance.

L&T Publisher Earl Watt

People succeed in Seward County all the time.

There are a handful of people I expect to agree with that assessment at any given time.

I believe in Seward County and the City of Liberal. I have dedicated my life and career to the community, and it’s an uphill battle to try to make our slice of the world better for those who choose to call this place home.

Some people have a dim view of our part of the world, and there are some who simply embrace the pessimistic “It will never work” mentality.

THE POSTSCRIPT, Carrie Classon

Last week, we went out to celebrate with my oldest and most curmudgeonly friend, Andrew.

Andrew is a tax preparer, so even if I hadn’t been in Mexico for the last three months, I still would not have seen much of him. He makes a good living by working insanely hard during the tax season and then teaching and taking a few classes the rest of the year. Andrew is very worn out by April 15th, so after he had recovered, my husband, Peter, and I took Andrew out to eat at a favorite Italian restaurant.

We had a lot to celebrate. Andrew had made it through another tax season. I had just signed the contract for “The Turnip House,” and “Loon Point” was doing well. Peter gave me a small stuffed loon that calls when you press its belly.

GUEST COLUMN, Todd Stanton, Seward County Commissioner

The Seward County Administrator offered to tender her resignation during an oddly unrecorded work session of the Seward County Commission April 23. What would be the result of such a resignation? What would that do? And, what could it lead toward?

Properly selected and qualified new administrative leadership could bring long-lacking stability through the ability to identify priorities and implement intelligent strategic direction.

It should be possible to add a much needed properly qualified financial officer to Seward County administration.