AFTER FIVE weeks of negotiating and balloting for a record 186 roll calls, Chicago Democratic Sen. Thomas C. Hynes was elected president of the Illinois Senate in the early morning hours February 16. A compromise package among the Democratic factions was worked out after more than 17 hours of continuous negotiations.
Gov. James R. Thompson, required by the state Constitution to preside over the Senate until a leader was chosen, had vowed the week before to keep the senators working without a break until they elected a president.
Hynes, a 38-year-old former law professor, received 33 out of the 34 Democratic votes on the final roll call. One Democratic senator, John L. Knuppel of Virginia, voted "present." The Republicans kept voting for their own man, Sen. David Shapiro of Amboy. The Republican minority had earlier threatened to cross over to decide the issue after both Democratic groups offered some enticing benefits. Thompson discouraged any dealing involving his budget or "fair treatment" in the confirmation of his cabinet choices in exchange for Republican votes.
In achieving Hynes' victory the Chicago regulars were forced to make major power and rule concessions to the coalition of 13 independents and blacks, most from downstate. Sen. Terry Bruce (D., Olney), candidate of the independent study group known as the "Crazy Eight," and Sen. Kenneth Hall (D., East St. Louis), the choice of four of the black Senate members, were named as assistant majority leaders.
Committee chairmanships, which proved to be the final bargaining issue, were announced by Sen. Hynes the morning of his election with the independents emerging with major gains.
The independents received the following chairmanships: Kenneth V. Buzbee (D., Carbondale), Appropriations II; Vivian V. Hickey (D., Rock-ford), Higher Education; Don Wooten (D., Rock Island), Executive; Vince Demuzio (D., Carlinville), Financial
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Institutions; Dawn dark Netsch (D., Chicago), Judiciary 11; Jerome J. Joyce (D., Kankakee), Local Government.
Besides the concession to name their own choice to a leadership post, the black senators received the assurance from Hynes that Sen. Richard New-house (D., Chicago) would receive the backing of the Chicago Democrats as chairman of the Legislative Advisory Committee on Public Assistance.
Hynes' backers Philip J. Rock (D., Chicago) and James H. Donnewald (D., Breese) were named assistant majority leaders. Hynes also succeeded in making Sen. Gene Johns (D., Marion) caucus chairman, raising him to leadership status but without the extra pay. Johns had earlier switched his support to the regulars from the independents.
Chicago Democrats and other Hynes' supporters were named to the following committees;
Howard W. Carroll (D., Chicago), Appropriations I; John L. Knuppel (D., Virginia), Agriculture; Arthur L. Ber-man ( D., Chicago), Elementary and Secondary Education; Norbert A. Kosinski (D., Chicago), Elections; Sam Vadalabene (D., Edwardsville), Executive Appointments; Robert T. Lane (D., South Holland), Insurance; Richard M. Daley (D., Chicago), Judiciary I; Frank D. Savickas (D., Chicago), Labor and Commerce; John Merlo (D., Chicago), Pensions; Fred J. Smith, (D., Chicago), Public Health; Robert J. Egan (D., Chicago), Revenue; Charles Chew (D., Chicago), Transportation./ M. C. G.ž
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