Leland J. Kennedy Memoir - University of Illinois Springfield

A: Oh did she?
Q: Yes.
A: Well some of those people had a two-year term you know, on account of the constitutional
change and reapportionment and that. There was a group of senators that had a two-year
term. I didn't think - she might have been, I don't know, hut I think that particular piece
of legislation - well I think it went through thc house because we had a big majority and
it was a - you mentioned a Kerner proposal'!
Q: Yes.
A: It would have passed the house then because we had all - we had 118 members to fiftynine.
Q: Oh?
A: And it only needed seventy-seven or eighty-seven or whatrvcr it was and it could get
that through the house. And I recall that but I think that was - I think Arrington was
president of the senate at that time, and - he's dead, isn't he?
Q: Yes.
A: He was born in Gillespie and he lived in Alton for a short time.
Q: Well I'll be darned.
A: 1 may have mentioned that, when I first met you, that he used to kind of chide me about
living in Alton. Rut, oh, he was a brilliant man and a self-made millionaire I guess. And
quite controversial hut - whether he was controversial or not - he was just on the opposite
end of the political pole and spectrum and just . . .
Q: Did you get along alright with him?
A: Oh I got along with him fine. Hell, I'd see him at breakfast, he and his 1 guess supposed
lady friend. I got along with him fine. And I remember this about him, he always asked
me if I was going to win. IIe said, "Did you do alright? Are you going to do alright? Are
you going to be able to make it?" And, "Hold on to your seat." And I'd say, "Yes, Senator,
I can, I think I can do it."
Talking. about different people that you met along the way, there was a newspaper reporter
- when Stratton got elected to governor, he was down in Alton, Stratton was, running
against - he and maybe Dixon made a joint appearance. Anyway 1 went to it. I think
Curly Harris and I went to it. And 1 guess IIodge was there. And 1 don't know whether
Mueller was there. I went to it. And John Dreiske - doesn't his boy work in one of the
code departments as a - as a - well maybe he works for the attorney general, he might
work for the attorney general.
Q: I believe I've heard that he works someplace . .
A: But he asked me, he said, "Are you going. to be able to win'!" We always had primary
fights, Harris and I did, T guess they were out to beat me, but they didn't beat either one
of us. And I said, "I think SO." That was the year Stevenson was running for
president. But Dreiske was in the party and he said that Stratton was going to get elected
governor. But there was a big political rally in Alton and I guess they were all there, in
1952, in the fall of 1952, mayhc in October. And Dreiskc was one of the reporters that was