Archives/Special Collections, University of Illinois at Springfield

kind of a mystery place anyway, no railroatis. And that's one thing they'd - "Oh, yes, we're
heard about it, no railroads," and naturally I don't want to repeat what else they'd say about
it but a few things.
And I could talk with authority because I had made a few bucks. I was pretty sure of myself
because I was doing business and making money. And I had some confidence that I wasn't
afraid to walk into a hank and talk to a banker too because I didn't owe them anything. Or
if I did, I was big enough that I could pay it off or vice versa, and they were wanting my
business worse than I needed them. And I think that helped a whole lot, if you had
confidence. Where if you had an inferiority complex, it hurts you when you walk in. But
I was pretty confident in myself then.
Q: Did driving the Cadillac help up there in that area?
A: Yes it helped all th? time. A lot of my ad\zisors at that time said, "You ought to get
a little car to drive in." But I had back trouhle anyway, all of my life I had trouble -
and that's a far drive. I drove Cadillacs and it seemed like that did help me in my particular
position. They knew I was in business and they figured, I guess, "Well hell if he's in business,
if he isn't worth a damn" - Iike several of them remarked. One gub- thought. "You can
tell what type of man he is by the type of a dog he drives. A lot of them \vould say, "Well
hell I'll take a chance on him. Hell if he can make any money for himself, he'll leave a
little for me," or something like that. You know, if you made any money. they thought you
was crooked anyway, a lot of people did. So you figure, "Well if he does steal some, he'll
leave us have some of it," or something like that.
Q: What about other places up in that direction, like Pittsfield for example? Did you
A: Pittsfield I had some friends up there who - let's see, was I - I associated indirectly
with them beforehand in some business deals. A fello\v by the name of Lee Newman who
was head of production credit. I alxvays had an in. That was lucky to pet in with the key
people, financial people, it seemed Iike for some reason or other. Not that I had any maneshut
I had some dealings with them. And he was head of the production credit and naturally
had contacts in those days as there was a lot of farmers and u-hen he went artrund to visit
the farmer, he could say, "Well he's a pretty good guy. 1 believe I'd rote for him." We'll
hought a few pieces of property together. And had many dealings together.
And let's see, hot\- elscb would I - contacts did I have in Pittsfield? When I first started
out, I didn't have tnu much outside of him. But I'd easily acrguired a lot of help. I'll tell
you xhat helped in Quincy. was that Quincy was envious of Adams County, and . . .
Q: Oh?
A: . . . see dams County always had the representative. And I'ike ~vonld like to had one
down in this area.
A: That helped some too.
Q. Well let's see now, Jacksonville wasn't in the district at that time.
A: Jackson\ille wasn't in there the first tlrne I ran
Q: What trther centers were there besides Quincy and I'ittsfield?
A: We had Scott County, Winchester. Winrhester was a natural for me. Those type of
people just fit right in hecause they were small, we were small and they could never get
Carl Wittmond Memoir -- Archives/Special Collections, University of Illinois at Springfield