George washington plunkitt plunkitt of tammany hall the book. Sep 01, 2001 plunkitt, george washington, 18421924. A series of very plain talks on very practical politics. Listen to this candid discourse from a 19th century politician, and decide for yourself if things have changed. His family is chronicled in the book the park and the people. Riordon, george washington plunkitt came from poor beginnings and made his way up to become a head leader of the fifteenth assembly district in new york, a main leader in the political team of tammany hall, and a millionaire. The world of george washington plunkitt plunkitt of. He was born on november 17, 1842 in manhattan, new york city. Profile of george washington plunkitt, politican all. Plunkitt was part of the tammany hall political machine in new york. The full text of william riordons book is supported here by nine primary documents that place both the book and its subject into context.
George washington plunkitt was a complicated politician from new york in the 1900s. The curse of civil service reform the gilder lehrman. One of the famous, albeit not the most important of the oldtime political bosses, was george washington plunkitt. Plunkitt of tammany hall by george washington plunkitt full. Us politics government history george washington plunkitt. Olson, chairman of the history department at sam houston state university, and james w. The clintons, honest graft and dishonest graft politico.
The plunkitt of tammany hall was an insight of street politics in new york published in 1905. George washington plunkitt november 17, 1842 november 19, 1924 was an american politician from new york state. Excerpts from the original electronic text at project gutenberg g. George washington plunkitt was a sort of middle manager of one of the greatest political machines in u.
When collaboratingon an eccentric book about his career in 1905 he brazenly defended his long and complicated career in machine politics. He amassed a fortune by engaging in various schemes which he always claimed had been honest graft. Preface this volume discloses the mental operations of perhaps the most thoroughly practical politician of the day george washington plunkitt, tammany leader of the fifteenth assembly district, sachem of the tammany society and chairman of the elections committee of tammany hall, who has held the offices of state senator, assemblyman, police magistrate, county supervisor and alderman, and. Plunkitt of tammany hall by george, washington plunkitt, william, l riordon and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles. Get the best deal by comparing prices from over 100,000 booksellers. Theres honest graft and dishonest graft according to plunkitt. George washington plunkitt, on the shame of the cities. George washington plunkitt 18421924 was a longtime state senator from the u. Since its publication in 1905, plunkitt of tammany hall has given generations of students a passport into the world of controversy, conflict, corruption, and color that surrounded urban political machines at their zenith. Theres good graft and bad graft according to plunkitt.
George washington plunkitt was a tammany hall politician who wielded clout in new york city for decades. Plunkitt, who would hold court at the bootblack stand at the new york county courthouse, telling anyone who would listen about the difference between honest and dishonest graft, the difference between the money of a rich man a short, funny, infuriating, and thoroughly modern look inside the mind of a machine politician. The world of george washington plunkitt by william l. The term honest graft was coined by george washington plunkitt, a tammany hall boss and political operative. Project gutenberg offers 62100 free ebooks for kindle, ipad, nook, android, and iphone. This is one of the most famous talks on practical politics by the democratic senator of new york district of tammany, george washington plunkitt, at the beginning of the 20th century. Another topic covered in the book, the difference between honest graft and. Get this book free when you sign up for a 30day trial. Plunkitt served in both houses of the new york state legislature during the late 19th century, but he also operated informally out of the new york city courthouse.
He identified with the citys immigrant poor and working class. The world of george washington plunkitt riordon, william l. George washington plunkitt, honest graft and dishonest. Plunkitt of tammany hall is a great book that shows how a group of openly corrupt politicians can stay in power using a system of apprenticeship and personal favors. However, in the modern legal world, plunkitt s ideaof honest graft is unacceptable as this paper further expounds. As a reporter for the new york evening post during the time of new yorks tammany hall machine, william riordan compiled and published this work in 1905 from a series of articles he wrote on george washington plunkitt, the millionaire ward boss of new yorks 15th district.
He served in both houses of the new york state legislature. Riordans recording of informal talks given by george washington plunkitt, one of the leading tammany hall politicians in late 19th century new york city. George washington plunkitt, the curse of civil service reform, plunkitt of tammany hall. George washington plunkitt, honest graft and dishonest graft. Plunkitts ideas of right a wrong sometimes seemed to be off.
Signin to download and listen to this audiobook today. The city and the state in american political development, 18801980. Plunkitt of tammany hall a series of very plain talks on very practical politics, delivered by exsenator george washington plunkitt, the tammany philosopher, from his rostrum the new york county court house bootblack stand. Plunkitt, an irishamerican politician in new york city, made this speech in response to a series of articles. Series of very plain talks on very practical politics, delivered by exsenator george washington plunkitt, the tammany philosopher, from his rostrum the new york country courthouse bootblack stand and recorded this volume discloses the mental oper ations of perhaps the most thoroughly prac tical politician of the day george wash ington plunkitt, tammany. He had his own questionable way of seeing whats right and whats wrong.
He is the only person on record to hold the places of state senator, assemblyman, police magistrate, county supervisor and alderman, and to draw salary from three of them at once. Flickr commons project, 2010 contributor names bain news service, publisher. The distinction that made by the george washington plunkitt about the honest graft and dishonest graft is true, as it makes the distinction between the honest and corrupt politicians. George washington plunkitt plunkitt of tammany hall. Plunkitt was one of six children born to sarah obrien plunkitt and patrick plunkitt, both irish immigrants. George washington plunkitt was born into poverty in new york in 1842. Riordon, published a book plunkitt of tammany hall, which was essentially a series of monologues in which the old politician, often hilariously, expounded on his life and his theories of politics. The family lived in seneca village central park near what is now mariners gate until evicted when the city built central park. Riordons compiling and embroidering of boss plunkitts boastful comments on machine politics constitutes a minor classic in american social history. Plunkitt of tammany hall george washington plunkitt.
Profile of george washington plunkitt, tammany hall politican. George washington plunkitt is the author of plunkitt of tammany hall 3. A politician that embezzles is worse than a crook because he is a fool, george washington plunkitt notably remarked. Aug 10, 2018 george washington plunkitt was a democratic politician. However, some of his ideas about things that needed to be reformed were as true then as they are now. Plunkitt of tammany hall by george washington plunkitt free. George washington plunkitt author of plunkitt of tammany hall. It is as important to understanding the united states in the early 20th century as the prince is to understanding the renaissance. New york political boss george washington plunkitt offered his own skeptical and humorous view of steffens book as one chapter in a series of plain talks on very practical politics, published in 1905. The world of george washington plunkitt is not read much these days and when it is its usually read as an anachronistic look at ward politics during the tammany era, but its a book. George washington plunkitt, center plunkitt became wealthy by practicing what he called honest graft in politics. Find nearly any book by george washington plunkitt. When collaborating on an eccentric book about his career in 1905 he brazenly defended his long and complicated career in machine politics. Createspace independent publishing platform format available.
This civil service law is the biggest fraud of the age. Since its publication in 1905, plunkitt of tammany hall has given generations of students a passport into the world of controversy, conflict, corruption, and color that surrounded urban political machines at. His family lived in seneca village before it was taken over by the city of new york for use as central park. In the 20th century, this democratic senator of new york district of tammany made a chain of talks on politics revealing with inspirational sincerity, the apparent irregular manner with which one is needed to play the game of. Plunkitt of tammany hall audiobook by george washington. He served in both houses of the new york state legislature and was a member of the tammany hall political machine in new york city. George washington plunkitt was a highranking member of the tammany hall machine, and the author, william riordan, created the book as a series of articles gleaned from mr. He worked his way up from being a helping hand around the district headquarters as a boy, all the way up to being a district leader and a state senator. George washington plunkitt, born in 1842, grew up surrounded by this new immigrant irishcatholic community. He served as a state senator and a representative to the new york assembly. George washington plunkitt 17 november 1842 november 19, 1924 was a new york state senator and, as a member of tammany hall, a ward boss for the fifteenth assembly district. Dec 19, 2017 plunkitt of tammany hall by george washington plunkitt 1842 1924 full free audiobook subscribe for more audiobooks all audiobo. Jul 27, 2019 and in 1905 a newspaperman, william l. Riordons compiling and embroidering of boss plunkitts boastful c.
He was part of what is known as new yorks tammany hall machine. A series of very plain talks on very practical politics, bedford books of st. In the book of plunkitt of tammany hall written by william l. Tammany hall was one of the most colorful political machines in u s history and george washington plunkitt was in the thick of it. Book report of plunkitt of tammany hall essay example 949 words 4 pages. A series of very plain talks on very practical politics, delivered by exsenator george washington plunkitt, the tammany philosopher, from his rostrumthe new york county courthouse bootblack stand contains some of the most intriguing justifications for corruption that have ever been written. His research on george washington plunkitt is part of an ongoing project on the image of the urban political machine and american liberalism entitled inventing urban politics. Tammany hall district leader george washington plunkitt. George washington plunkitt november 17, 1842 november 19, 1924 was an american. Although he was well known in new york city political circles in the latenineteenth and earlytwentieth centuries, his enduring fame came from a very short book with a very long subtitle. The world of george washington plunkitt plunkitt of tammany hall, 2nd edition, revised william l. George washington plunkitt 18421924 find a grave memorial.
George washington plunkitt 18421924 was a longtime state senator from the. Plunkitt of tammany hall plunkitt, george washington on. The book is a brave explanation on the differences between what was called honest graft and dishonest graft by george washington plunkitt. If he puts all kinds of graft on the same level, hell make the fatal mistake that steffens made and spoil his book. But he exercised greater political influence through his work as a ward boss in new yorks fifteenth assembly district. I guess theyll have to exist as long as theres bookworms, and i suppose they do. Books by plunkitt, george washington sorted by popularity. Apr 24, 2015 the clintons, honest graft and dishonest graft. George washington plunkitt on the shame of the cities as reported by william l. Riordons compiling and embroidering of boss plunkitt s boastful comments on machine politics constitutes a minor classic in american social history.
Honest graft and dishonest graft by george washington plunkitt from the book plunkitt of tammany hall by george washington plunkitt 1842 1924 chapter 1 honest graft and. By george washington plunkitt a series of very plain talks on very practical politics, delivered by exsenator george washington plunkitt, the tammany philosopher, from his rostrumthe new york county court house bootblack stand recorded by william l. The book s in the public domain and theres not a lot of secondary literature on the book despite. His siblings were, james plunkitt, martin plunkitt, and phoebe plunkitt. His lively accounts of how the tammany machine operated may not have been welldocumented, but they give a. Plunkitt of tammany hall download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl. George washington plunkitt and the value of honest graft. Plunkitt of tammany hall by george washington plunkitt. Plunkitt of tammany hall book summary and study guide. Aug 28, 2005 the work contained the musings of george washington plunkitt 18421924, the powerful irishamerican leader of the tammany hall political machine. Plunkittdeemed dishonest graft as unacceptable while he deemed honest graftas acceptable.
No new yorker needs to be informed who george washington plunkitt is. Famous for his phrase honest graft, you get a glimpse for the feel of the machine politics going on at the time. Plunkitt of tammany hall and over 2 million other books are available for amazon. A big city like new york or philadelphia or chicago might be compared to a sort of garden of eden, from a political point of view. He was a cynically honest practitioner of what today is generally known as machine politics, patronagebased and frank in its exercise of power for personal gain. Plunkitt of tammany hall essay 1541 words bartleby. George washington plunkitt was a senator in new york during the turn of the 19th century to the 20th century. The views of the politician george washington plunkitt 123. Plunkitt of tammany hall, by george washington plunkitt. Plunkitt of tammany hall download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. Plunkitt, who would hold court at the bootblack stand at the new york county courthouse, telling anyone who would listen about the difference between honest and dishonest. The books in the public domain and theres not a lot of secondary literature on.