Archives/Special Collections, University of Illinois at Springfield

I guess. Hini and Stratton both are that way. They could fight like hell but when they come
- and then Dale)- too, they all three of them, they all operate together, all three of
them. Hell, I was in with theni on deals where the)- could give here ant1 give there. And
for the benefit of a11 of theni. they all got something. And the state was better off really
in that deal. But that's when Daleg- was mayor and Stratton was governor. And Poivell
was Speaker. They did a lot of maneuvering.
Q: Well that \vould have heen, let's see. 1957. I guess also the 1959 session
A: 1 can't rementher the years anymore. But I think that must have been the year that
I was on the Revenue Committee. Because that's when they had ti] have the half a rent
s;iles tau or they was going to he earmarked. Then they had a lot of trouble with the CTA
[Chicago Transit Authority] and they was needing the money for it. And they done a lot
of maneuvering around at that time.
Q: I understand Stratton and Daley did get along pretty well together.
A: They got along real good, yes. They'd trade, vice versa.
Q: What was your relationship with (:overnor Stratton? Did you meet him?
A: Real good. Oh yes, Stratton - you fh.lt ;it ease when you talkctl to Bill you knu\v, You
could talk to him. Talk your language. Hr aas like myself, I don't think he had too much
education as far as schooling was concernrd. Hr had a lot nf experience because he travcled
with his old man probably. He \\.as in politics. And hr knew the state. You cuulii t:ilk:
that's what I liked about him. You coul~i takh, a ~lelvg;itii~n in and say, "Oh, he>-, ho\i-'s ahout
my friend so-and-so down there?" or "1s that bridge o\Pr there still there?" or
something. And the people felt as if you did sonirthing and J-ou were son~ebodg-, you
know. You'd take some of these other governors that woulii go in there anti, hell, they cared
less and didn't know nothing about the damned thing. They didn't brief themselves any about
it to begin with.
Q: lie knew where Brussels was then
A: That's right. Ant1 the other people figured, "Well, hell, he nevcr said nothing ahout it
and you didn't do ni~thing." So it nude a had image on g-IIU. Where Bill, he would let the
group go out thinking that you were on the hall, that you had made a deal with him and
talkrd to him about it and he knew what the he11 you was talking about.
Q: Well did groups come up very often like that?
A: Oh yes, you'd have delegations all the time. They used to think that was the way lo
get anything done. Always some group, school group, road group or something that's . . .
Q: Did you ever have them kinti of influence your vote because they were in the gallery?
A: No. Some fellows did that. I never did. I wasn't no speaker, I was handirapped in (hat
respect. I couldn't speak good so I didn't make any attempt to do it. Another thing, I \\.as
handicapped too, and different than a lot of other politicians, 1 hail to l)e in the public ;ill
the time. I couldn't hide. These other fellows would go home and then their \vifh, \\.oulli
go to the door and say you weren't there.
Q: I see
A: Well I had to be here all the time. They could come in here and sce me anytime. And
I couldn't tell this gu) he's not here. I had to see him whether I ~rantcti tt] see h~nt or
not. I was available a11 the time. And it made a lot of difference I know a lot i ~ times f
Carl Wittmond Memoir -- Archives/Special Collections, University of Illinois at Springfield