Columns

BRIDGES: Johnson

Published

10 months ago

May 20, 2025

Sandy Sanford

Sen. Robert Johnson was once one of Arkansas’s most powerful politicians. In a time when the nation was pulling itself apart, Johnson became one of those men pulling hardest of all to bring Arkansas out of the Union, a move that led to the Civil War. AS a result, his once-promising career was reduced to ashes.

Robert Ward Johnson was born in Kentucky in July 1814. His father, Judge Benjamin Johnson, was a wealthy planter. In fact, his family had a lot of powerful political connections. His uncle, Richard M. Johnson, was a hero of the War of 1812, a U. S. Senator, and eventually vice-president under President Martin Van Buren from 1837 to 1841. Two of his father’s other brothers were also prominent Kentucky congressmen.

In 1821, Judge Johnson was appointed by President James Monroe to serve as a federal judge in the Arkansas Territory. The future senator, now 7, moved with his family to the newly established territorial capital of Little Rock. Johnson County, in western Arkansas, would be named for the judge when it was created in 1833. Judge Johnson enjoyed a great deal of political popularity and sent the younger Johnson back to Kentucky to attend the Choctaw Academy, a boarding school run by his uncle that included many young Choctaws. He later attended St. Joseph’s College and returned to Little Rock.

In 1835, after apprenticing himself to a local attorney, he became a member of the bar and began practicing law. He would marry in 1836, a union that produced six children. He became active in local Democratic politics, and his sister would marry Sen. Ambrose Sevier, one of Arkansas’s first two U. S. Senators.

In 1840, Johnson, now only 26, became the prosecuting attorney for Pulaski County. In 1843, the state legislature created the new position of state attorney general. Gov. Archibald Yell selected Johnson to serve in this new post. After a few months, Johnson stepped down and moved his family and law firm to Helena, a growing and thriving port city on the Mississippi River.

In 1846, he was elected to Congress. He came to chair the Committee on Indian Affairs while his brother-in-law, Sen. Sevier, chaired the Senate counterpart. Johnson was re-elected easily in 1848. In 1850, with sectional tensions over slavery threatening to split the nation, Johnson opposed efforts to compromise with the North, rejecting California’s bid to become a free state and rejecting the creation of new territories in the Southwest. He did, however, support newer, stronger federal legislation to capture slaves who had run away to the North. Johnson was re-elected in 1850 and 1852.

After Sen. Solon Borland was appointed to become ambassador to Nicaragua in 1853, the state legislature chose Johnson to finish his term in the Senate. Issues surrounding slavery increasingly dominated the American political scene. Though Johnson initially supported legislation to encourage settlement of the High Plains, he soon turned sharply against it as he saw such laws as an attempt to bring in more northern settlers opposed to slavery to the territories and thus create more free states.

As a bid to counter that, he and other southern senators supported the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854, an act that would open the unorganized territories of the Louisiana Purchase from the Indian Territory to the Canadian border to slavery. Northerners believed the cooler and drier climate of this area would make the area unlikely to support cotton or tobacco production, so slavery was unlikely. However, the legislation instead created a political firestorm across the country, ripping apart the nation’s political institutions. Johnson himself was re-elected by the legislature in 1854 and came to chair the Senate Committee on Public Land and the Committee on Military Affairs. He declined to run for another term in 1860.

With secession on the horizon, Johnson worked with Congressman Thomas Hindman to convince leaders to pull Arkansas out of the Union. When Arkansas seceded from the Union in 1861, he was one of five Arkansans sent to the provisional Confederate capital in Montgomery, Alabama, to set up the new Confederate government. The secessionist legislature in Little Rock then elected him to serve in the Confederate Senate as it convened in the new capital in Richmond, Virginia, in 1862. However, the political fortunes of Johnson and the Confederacy fell apart after that. With shortages of food, supplies, and manpower, spiraling hyperinflation, and a lack of foreign support, the Confederacy faced increasing disasters on both diplomatic and political fronts. The government that Johnson created had little power to combat any of these problems.

By late 1864, with most of Arkansas under Union control and Confederate forces facing one defeat after another, he realized the war was lost. He declined to return to the Confederate Senate in its last months until it adjourned for the last time in March 1865.

The war cost him everything. He lost his home, his wife had died, his slaves were freed, his political influence was shattered, and he was left bankrupt. He spent the next ten years after the Civil War as an attorney in Washington, DC, slowly paying off his debts and rebuilding his finances. Afterward, he decided to return to Arkansas. He met up with his old political adversary, Albert Pike, who had led Whig Party opposition to him in the years before the Civil War and who had later become a Confederate general himself. The two put aside their old differences and began a prominent law firm in Little Rock.

In 1878, with the state legislature back under control of the Democrats, Johnson attempted to regain his old Senate seat and lobbied legislators. Johnson still found that he had many political allies and rallied them to his cause. Rumors, however, circulated that Johnson’s allies were attempting to bribe legislators. No concrete evidence emerged, and nothing more became of the charges. Nevertheless, legislators elected judge and former Confederate colonel James D. Walker to the Senate instead.

Disappointed, Johnson continued practicing law and his health declined. Less than a year later, he died at age 65.

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Columns

Supporting Small Business to Build Stronger Communities

Published

2 weeks ago

February 23, 2026

Sandy Sanford

By: Sen. John Boozman, R.-AR

Arkansas is full of entrepreneurs who use innovative ideas, everyday solutions and ongoing challenges to fuel opportunity. This reality is apparent when I return home and visit the excellent small businesses generating economic growth across all regions of our state. As the backbone of our communities and the American economy, I am pleased to advocate policies that make it easier to start, sustain and grow a small business. During the last state work period, I had the pleasure of visiting Red Barn Donuts in Rogers, owned by the hardworking Wiginton family. They are a great example of entrepreneurs turning their passion and family activity into a thriving local business where neighbors can come together and enjoy a delicious treat. Small businesses like theirs not only serve customers –– they help define the character and spirit of the towns they call home. It almost goes without saying that starting and growing a business is not a simple feat. Through grit and tireless dedication, paired with resources such as the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center (ASBTDC), the Wigintons were able to make their dream come true. Their collaboration is a great example of what can happen when public institutions and private businesses work together to achieve success. As a result, jobs are created and enterprises thrive, with far-reaching benefits. This public-private partnership is just one example of the exciting economic development underway in The Natural State. When government, educational resources and private initiative work hand in hand, Arkansas families win. Fortunately, our spirit of hard work and resilience is reinforced by policies that increase access to capital and promote right-sized regulations.

One such policy I am proud to back is Senator Katie Britt (R-AL) and Congressman French Hill’s (R-AR) PROTECTED Act, a bill that would shield small financial institutions and Main Street businesses from burdensome requirements to collect and share personal and private data. Forcing entrepreneurs and community lenders to share identity-based information opens the door for the federal government to pick winners and losers based on factors other than sound underwriting. Rural employers should be focused on growing their businesses and communities, not complying with overly burdensome red tape. Significant federal support was also secured through the Working Families Tax Cuts, landmark legislation that Senate Republicans championed and President Trump signed into law. Provisions that made the small business deduction permanent, reduce regulatory burdens and implemented “No Tax on Tips” put more money back in the pockets of Arkansans. The law will also spur investment by allowing companies to fully expense business equipment more quickly. Providing certainty in the tax code allows job creators to plan for the future with confidence and gives them breathing room to invest, hire and grow without Washington’s cumbersome overreach. By uplifting small businesses, supporting effective public-private partnerships and continuing to fight for pro-growth policies, we can ensure they stay strong. Small businesses are the backbone of rural America, and Congress has a responsibility to ensure the regulatory environment allows for local businesses and communities to flourish. My priority in Washington is to help create an environment that keeps our economy moving forward so Arkansas remains a great place to live, work and raise a family.

Columns

BRIDGES – Brough Part 2

Published

4 months ago

October 31, 2025

Sandy Sanford

Charles Brough, a Mississippi native and former professor at the University of Arkansas, became the twenty-fifth governor of Arkansas in 1917 in a time of change. The early twentieth century was a time promising tremendous changes in the way that Americans worked and lived, and Americans were excited about what the future held. And Americans were calling for a modern system of government to keep up with the changing times. And Brough was ready to deliver.

He quickly enacted school reform measures in the state, creating compulsory attendance laws and expanding vocational education. Brough enacted numerous other reforms. He created the Arkansas Corporation Commission in 1917 to oversee utilities in the state and pushed for a modern highway system in the state. Though the highway plan was bogged down by financial problems and mismanagement at the county level, it did result in 2,500 miles of new highway being constructed. He also pushed through a law in 1917 allowing women to vote in state party primaries, where most elections in the state took place at the time.

When the United States entered World War I in 1917, Brough shifted the focus of his administration to the war effort. He went across the state to raise money for the troops and for the Red Cross. He also created the State Council of Defense to help coordinate production to ensure the troops had all the supplies they needed.

Brough’s popularity was so high that the Republican Party did not even bother fielding a candidate against him in 1918, endorsing Brough’s re-election against Socialist candidate Clay Fulks. Brough swept into a second term with 93% of the vote.

While he hoped that his second term would allow him to build on his earlier successes, the end of the war saw new challenges. He attempted to push through a new state constitution, but the effort failed. In 1919, the nation was hit with a major recession. And in late September, Phillips County erupted into bloodshed as a race riot erupted in Elaine. An estimated 200 African-Americans were slaughtered by white mobs, but the death toll was possibly much higher. Brough sent in the National Guard to restore order and appointed a special committee to study the slaughter, but the committee’s weak recommendations to prevent further riots were never acted upon, and the matter still haunts Phillips County to this day even as residents strive to rise above the massacre.

After his second term ended in 1921, Brough toured the country on the speaking circuit, promoting the state. And it is Brough who is responsible for what is probably the worst Arkansas joke in history, one he repeated often in these speeches: “Did you know Arkansas is the only state mentioned in the Bible? The Bible says, ‘Noah looked out the Ark-and-saw!’”

In 1928, Brough spoke at the graduation at Central Baptist College in Conway. So impressed with his performance, college trustees decided that he would be the perfect choice for the new president of the college. Brough accepted, but he quickly ran into controversy. The country had taken a sharp reactionary turn since World War I, and Brough’s attempts to defend progress and reform were faltering. He fought back against attacks by fellow Baptists against the 1928 Democratic nominee for president, Al Smith, for his beliefs as a Roman Catholic. In addition, he supported the teaching of evolution in accordance with scientific standards, but fundamentalist Baptists howled their objections to the idea. Within a year, Brough was forced to step down, but he soon found work as a promoter for the University of Arkansas.

He unsuccessfully attempted to run for U. S. Senate twice, the last time being in a 1931 loss to Hattie Caraway. In spite of his lack of political success in his years after his governorship, he remained an enthusiastic personality and stayed active in civic causes. In 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed him to a special commission to help solve a dispute over the West Virginia border. However, just weeks after his work was completed in 1935, Brough suffered a massive heart attack and died. After his death, he was widely praised for the accomplishments in transportation and education he achieved for the state.

Columns

BRIDGES – Brough Part 1

Published

4 months ago

October 31, 2025

Sandy Sanford

The early twentieth century was a time of great change in Arkansas, and many residents were excited about what the future held. Many programs were introduced to modernize education and the infrastructure of the state. One figure responsible for many of these changes was Gov. Charles H. Brough, whose early years took him between Mississippi and Utah before landing him at the University of Arkansas.

Charles Hillman Brough was born in western Mississippi in 1876. His mother was a schoolteacher, while his father was a Pennsylvania native and a veteran of the Union Army who stayed in the state after the Civil War to invest in mining and banking. Brough spent much of his early childhood in Utah as his father expanded his investments.

In 1882, Brough was sent to live with his mother’s sister and brother-in-law in Mississippi. His aunt and uncle were active educators, and his uncle ran a local girl’s school. The importance of education was deeply ingrained in the future governor, and the intelligent young man absorbed all that he could. After Brough’s mother died, he stayed in Mississippi to continue to be raised by his aunt and uncle. At the age of 14, Brough was enrolled in Mississippi College, graduating four years later.

He returned to Utah in 1894, spending a year with his father. He soon entered graduate school at the prestigious Johns Hopkins University in Maryland. Drawing on his experiences out West with his father, he wrote his doctoral dissertation on irrigation in Utah. He earned his doctorate in history in 1898 and returned to Mississippi College to serve as a professor of history, ethics, economics, and German. He was active in the college community, delivering lectures across the state, recruiting for the college, and writing many scholarly articles.

Still a restless young man, he resigned his teaching position and entered the University of Mississippi law school in 1901, completing a two-year course of study in just a year. Instead of a law career, he returned to teaching. After being rejected for a prestigious position at the University of Mississippi, he left the state to accept a position as professor of political economy at the University of Arkansas in 1903.

Once in Arkansas, he again dived into the life of the university community and continued to write on such issues as finance, tariff and tax law, and Arkansas History. He was admitted to the state bar in 1904, but he again did not practice law. He was also active in the church, teaching Sunday School and often serving as a substitute preacher for other churches. Popular among teachers, he was also president of the Arkansas State Teachers Association for the 1913-1914 school year.

In 1913, after Gov. Joseph T. Robinson resigned to take his seat in the U. S. Senate, colleagues encouraged Brough to run in the special election to fill the remainder of the term. He had never run for office before. Brough tepidly entered the race but quickly withdrew, realizing that the public did not know enough about him and he would likely not have won. Nevertheless, in 1915, he resigned from the university to campaign full time for the Democratic Primary the following year. He ended up winning the three-man race in the primary and won the general election in the fall with nearly 70% of the vote over the Republican and Socialist candidates.

Brough dove into his position as governor with the energy and enthusiasm that made him famous. He made education reform a top priority. He established an illiteracy commission to study the issue in detail. He established county boards of education and, in 1917, enacted the first compulsory school attendance law in state history. Education was no longer just a good idea for developing young minds and local economies – it was the law. He also pushed for expanding vocational programs through a new federal education subsidy. But for Brough and his ambitious progressive agenda, this was only the beginning.

Columns

OPINION: Murphy USA is not going anywhere! (And that’s a FACT)

Published

5 months ago

September 26, 2025

Sandy Sanford

If you will grant me your patience, I will prove why it is a fact that MUSA is staying put in El Dorado.

I moved to South Arkansas 23 years ago. I love it here. The truth of the matter is, I have lived here longer than I have ever lived anywhere else. Another truth, I could live almost anywhere in the United States. There’s nothing that really holds me here against my will. My home is nearly paid for and worth a whole lot more than I paid for it. I have a skillset that allows me to shop my abilities on the open market. I have been very fortunate to be successful everywhere I have ever been. That looks good on a resume and makes me a valued commodity.

In 2012, when I made some major changes in my life, I had to decide if I wanted to stay here, in El Dorado, or go elsewhere. I was offered a very lucrative position at a television station in Missouri (not on camera of course, I mean… Look at me! Right?) I was offered another position in television in Shreveport. I was offered an executive position at a group of radio stations in Northwest Arkansas, as well as in Corpus Christi, Texas; Roswell, New Mexico; Amarillo, Texas; and Denver, Colorado. The compensation at all of those was more than I made here and I was well & fairly compensated for what I did here. I guess if it had been just about money, I would have chased that next venture.

However, it was not! I made lifelong friendships here. I belonged to a great church family here. I was involved here. I was on the board at (then) Medical Center of South Arkansas, El Dorado Golf & Country Club, Chairman of the Parks & Playgrounds Commission, on the board of the El Dorado Crime Stoppers, Salvation Army, Chamber of Commerce, and probably some others that aren’t coming to mind. I had three children and was preparing for life as a single father. My oldest was “up on the hill” in Fayetteville, having just started her college life at the U of A. My two boys were 11 & 12 and doing well in school. Frankly, El Dorado was the only home they knew of. They were both small babies when they moved here. OH! And let’s not forget, THE EL DORADO PROMISE. Yea, that definitely played into my decision to stay and make my life here. So, since it wasn’t about the money and I had all of these reasons to stay, that’s what I did.

A few years ago, I sold my interests in a local business I owned and once again I was faced with the same question. Do I want to stay in El Dorado or do I want to go somewhere else? It wasn’t as easy of a decision this time. Economically, South Arkansas was in the grips of what was happening nationally. Inflation was ripping money out people’s pockets faster than any “would-be robber” could get to it. Murphy Oil had relocated to Houston, I felt like the City was being mismanaged, the population loss was unsettling to say the least, I believe we have some the worst customer service in all of America and I’m not sure how to fix it. (Let’s be honest, I can go to almost any other McDonalds in the USA and my order is right!) I had to sit and put it all in perspective. But once again, I declared El Dorado as my home.

Yesterday’s news about Murphy USA’s layoffs hurt me. I am not trying to be cold but once I put it in perspective, I wasn’t as hurt. For those who were laid off, it is a serious matter and I wish them the best as well as praying for them. However, I know we will continue with our lives and unless those who were affected directly affect us, we probably won’t notice.

There are those people who salivate over the slightest bit of news, gossip, rumor, or innuendo for the sole purpose of spreading fear and negativity. I don’t understand them. It is outside of my line of thought to think negatively. Believe me, it’s not that I’ve lived a Polyannish life. I have faced real hardships, heartbreaks, disappointments and depression. I don’t know if it is because of my faith in Jesus or maybe I just have my head in the sand. Whatever it is, I don’t fall victim to negative thoughts.

South Arkansas Now, of which I am one of the two owners, reached out to Murphy USA with more questions. Here are some of those questions:

How many employees in El Dorado did this restructuring affect?
Is Murphy USA bringing employees from the QuickCheck office in New Jersey to El Dorado? (Because that is one of the wild & negative rumors floating around today.)
Does Murphy USA have any plans that include leaving El Dorado?
What is Murphy USA doing, specifically, to keep this restructuring from being an economic bombshell to the community.

To their credit, here was their response… word for word:

Thanks for reaching out. Allow me to reassure you, Murphy USA is not stepping back in their support and commitment to El Dorado. This is part of the fabric of the Company and its culture long-term. Please note, employees are not being brought from QuickChek to El Dorado. The impact was felt in both geographies. The Company Statement has the detail you are seeking:

Murphy USA, Inc. recently reorganized as part of a broader effort to strengthen operational effectiveness and position the company for long-term success. Unfortunately, this change included making the difficult decision to reduce the size of our workforce by close to 100, mostly corporate employees, across Murphy USA and QuickChek offices. This includes 65 employees based in El Dorado, Arkansas.

This reorganization was not focused on specific departments and decisions were not made lightly. The reduction was based on thoughtful analysis that ensures we have an agile and efficient organization optimized to support the business now and in the future.

This event does not change our commitment to El Dorado, Arkansas. We are fully committed to the city and its people and have no plans to relocate our headquarters or reduce our presence. (emphasis is mine) In fact, Murphy USA will continue to invest in El Dorado, not only in infrastructure, but in people, partnerships, and long-term growth to ensure the city remains a thriving destination where people prosper.

We are grateful for the contributions of every employee impacted and are committed to treating them with respect and providing resources to support them through this transition.

We remain focused on our mission and confident in the path ahead.

So there it is, straight from Murphy USA. They aren’t leaving! They aren’t shutting down! They aren’t laying off half of their staff. (all of those are rumors I read today.) My plea is this: This move by Murphy USA naturally alarmed some people. So, shouldn’t we all do what we can to bring about calm and help those who are directly impacted? To me, that is a clear and resounding YES. Let’s make sure we are being the best neighbors we can be. Thank you for indulging me, I am getting ready watch Wildcat Football!

Columns

BRIDGES: Cravens

Published

7 months ago

August 8, 2025

Staff Reports

For many people, family means everything. In Arkansas politics, it has often been an important springboard for careers. One particular family duo, Ben and Fadjo Cravens of Fort Smith, ended up serving a combined eleven terms in Congress in the early twentieth century. The father-son team had a great impact on developing southern and western Arkansas.

William Ben Cravens was born in Fort Smith in 1872. His father, William Murphy Cravens, had served as a Confederate cavalry officer during the Civil War and had established a respected law practice in Fort Smith after the war. It was known to be a close and loving family.

Cravens came from a family of good means. He was cousin to Jordan Cravens, a Clarksville attorney and Confederate veteran who served three terms in Congress from 1877 to 1883. He attended Louisville Military Academy in Kentucky as well as the prestigious Staunton Military Academy in Virginia. He then earned a degree from the University of Missouri.

William Cravens became an attorney in 1893 and joined his father’s practice in Fort Smith. He was an ambitious man and won election as city attorney in 1898. Four years after that, he was elected prosecuting attorney for the Twelfth Judicial District, which included Sebastian County.

In 1906, he was elected to represent the Fourth District in Congress, which took up most of Southwest Arkansas at the time. He won re-election by a wide margin in 1908, and he was re-elected without opposition in 1910. He served on the Military Affairs committee and the Indian Affairs Committee as well as the Congressional Red River Improvement Association, hoping river improvements would help the regional economy. Distractions, however, kept him from attending many votes, and his attendance record was much lower than average. In 1912, he was defeated for re-nomination. With a growing family in Fort Smith, he contented himself with a relatively quiet life as an attorney.

His successor, Otis Wingo, a DeQueen attorney, died in office in 1930. His wife, Effigenie Wingo, was elected to replace him, the first woman elected to Congress from Arkansas. In 1932, she declined to seek re-election. With his family grown and the Great Depression devastating millions of Americans, Cravens decided to re-enter politics. He jumped into the race to reclaim his seat in Congress.

Cravens won the Democratic nomination easily and faced no opposition in the general election. He was unopposed in each general election in his second round in Congress, winning without opposition in 1932, 1934, and 1936. Now 60 years old, he energetically served in Congress, actively supporting President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s package of New Deal reforms, from farm subsidies to rural electricity to Social Security. He served on committees overseeing mining, elections, and flood abatement. He was elected to his seventh term in November 1938, but tragedy intervened. Cravens died suddenly in January 1939 in Washington, DC, at the age of 66.

William Fadjo Cravens, usually just referred to as “Fadjo,” was crushed by his father’s death, but he jumped into the race to succeed him. He had enlisted in the navy in World War I. After his honorable discharge, he returned to study law at Washington and Lee University in Virginia and became an attorney by 1920. He returned to Fort Smith to practice law, serving at his father’s side just like his father before him. Similarly, he became Fort Smith city attorney, running the office for ten years. He won the special election to Congress in 1939. Most of his time in Congress dealt with World War II. He actively supported the war effort and made sure that defense contracts came to the district, most notably to Camden, Pine Bluff, El Dorado, and Fort Smith as well as expansion of Fort Chaffee.

Fadjo Cravens was unopposed in each general election afterward. He was more moderate in his views than his father overall but was a popular and effective representative overall. He declined to run for re-election in 1948.

The younger Cravens returned to Fort Smith and served as an attorney for many more years. He died in 1974 at his home in Fort Smith. Though his own children did not become members of Congress themselves, his son, William Fadjo Cravens II, became a noted businessman in Fort Smith and served as a delegate to the state’s ill-fated constitutional convention in 1969.