Latest Post | Last 10 Posts | Archives
Previous Post: The hollowing out of state government
Next Post: Comptroller report sheds some new light on Vendor Payment Program
Posted in:
* Tom Kacich on how state Rep. Clark Griggs was able to locate the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana…
It started with $40,000 appropriated by the supervisors of Champaign and Urbana townships and Griggs’ decision to travel most of the state (everywhere but Jacksonville, Lincoln and Bloomington), meet with other state representatives and build support for Champaign-Urbana.
In five weeks, he said, he interviewed 40 House members and gained pledges from 15 of them.
Next, he met with the governor and lieutenant governor and with the chairmen of the state Republican and Democratic parties. In those conversations he learned that the postwar Legislature would be occupied with a number of special interests.
Southern Illinois wanted a prison; Peoria and Springfield were fighting over which would be the state capital; and Chicago wanted to deepen the Chicago River and develop a system of parks and boulevards. Such knowledge would be important in future vote-trading.
When the Legislature went into session in January 1867, the Champaign County Committee moved into Springfield’s Leland Hotel, where for the next three months it held the principal reception room and a suite of parlors and bedrooms. The rooms were used to entertain legislators and their constituents with either drinks, light refreshments or sumptuous dinners of oysters or quail. Lawmakers were supplied with cigars and theater tickets. Late in the session, Griggs arranged for a special train to take legislators to Champaign-Urbana.
None of the other communities seeking the university had a similar arrangement.
Inside the House Chambers, Griggs showed his skill by running for speaker.
For two days, the House was tied up in endless voting. On the night after the second day, an intermediary visited Griggs and asked what it would take to get him to drop out of the race. Griggs wanted the chairmanship of the Committee on Agriculture and Mechanic Arts — the committee that would hear all the bills about locating the university — and the right to choose its members. He got it, dropped out of the race for speaker and thus was able to control the legislation.
There’s more, so go read the whole thing.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Nov 27, 18 @ 10:59 am
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
Previous Post: The hollowing out of state government
Next Post: Comptroller report sheds some new light on Vendor Payment Program
WordPress Mobile Edition available at alexking.org.
powered by WordPress.
See how far we’ve come? Cigars would be a no-no today.
Comment by siualum Tuesday, Nov 27, 18 @ 11:06 am
===The rooms were used to entertain legislators and their constituents with either drinks, light refreshments or sumptuous dinners of oysters or quail. Lawmakers were supplied with cigars and theater tickets.===
The more things change…
Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Nov 27, 18 @ 11:14 am
I can’t love this any more than I do.
With equal weight… the “corrupt” ways… and getting something done through the politics… it has all the feels.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Nov 27, 18 @ 11:16 am
Illinois College in Jacksonville is still a little peeved at this, I imagine. Or at least they get annoyed with having to tell people they went to “Illinois College - no not the University of Illinois, Illinois College.”
Comment by Perrid Tuesday, Nov 27, 18 @ 11:26 am
Quail….Saputos have quail?
Comment by A guy Tuesday, Nov 27, 18 @ 11:30 am
When Minnesota was being organized as a state, the largest city, St. Paul, was made the Capitol. The second largest city was Stillwater, on the Wisconsin border was given a choice–the state pen or the U of Minnesota. Stillwater picked the prison as they felt it would lead to more jobs. Minneapolis, the third largest city got the U by default.
Comment by G'Kar Tuesday, Nov 27, 18 @ 11:41 am
Macomb beat out Galesburg and Monmouth for WIU after Quincy wanted the Veterns Home.
Comment by illinois manufacturer Tuesday, Nov 27, 18 @ 12:01 pm
G’Kar, that sounds like a political retelling of the 1984 NBA Draft.
Comment by Concerned Observer Tuesday, Nov 27, 18 @ 12:03 pm
I heard a historical “story” a few times that Ottawa had a choice between the U of I and the Appellate Court, and chose the court. This report seems to throw a little cold water on that one.
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Tuesday, Nov 27, 18 @ 12:03 pm
So instead of Madison or Austin, we get a captiol and flagship school 40 miles from each other and the entire region is lesser for it. Applause all around.
Comment by Anon-I-Guess Tuesday, Nov 27, 18 @ 12:23 pm
Hail to the Orange
Hail to the Blue
Hail graft and schmoozing
Ever so true… so true.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Tuesday, Nov 27, 18 @ 12:28 pm
==we get a captiol and flagship school 40 miles from each other==
40 miles? I didn’t realize Millikin in Decatur was considered the flagship school.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Nov 27, 18 @ 12:36 pm
=we got a Capitol=
They don’t call it Springpatch for nothing.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Nov 27, 18 @ 12:44 pm
Same as it ever was.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Nov 27, 18 @ 1:30 pm
Great story, same as it ever was!
Comment by Precinct Captain Tuesday, Nov 27, 18 @ 2:20 pm
===Ottawa had a choice between the U of I and the Appellate Court, and chose the court===
I heard the same story, except it was Danville and the VA hospital.
Comment by thechampaignlife Tuesday, Nov 27, 18 @ 2:35 pm
===except it was Danville and the VA hospital===
And the lore in Springfield is that the city fathers had first dibs and chose the state fair.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Nov 27, 18 @ 2:45 pm
I wonder what a trip to New York during a vote on arbitration is worth these days in oysters and quail?
Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Tuesday, Nov 27, 18 @ 2:58 pm
i was under the impression that Lincoln was offered the flagship university, but turned it down for the state mental health center - more patronage jobs.
Comment by capitol view Tuesday, Nov 27, 18 @ 3:13 pm
==Southern Illinois wanted a prison==
We’ve come a long way in 150 years.
Comment by LXB Tuesday, Nov 27, 18 @ 3:17 pm
==Southern Illinois wanted a prison==
We’ve come a long way in 150 years.–
LOL. A prison with a coal-burning power plant and a gun sanctuary, preferably.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Nov 27, 18 @ 5:12 pm