How Did George Washington Plunkett Justify His Practice Of Honest Graft

George Washington Plunkitt worked his way as a young boy in the New York city politics to become one of the most well know statesman that city has ever now. As a young boy, he became an “apprenticeship of the business “(RIORDON, Chapter, 1) of politics by “working around the district headquarters and hustling about the polls on Election Day” (RIORDON, Chapter, 1). He steadily built a following and became very clever in the political game. Plunkitt had definite idea’s as to what characteristics where needed to thrive in the political arena. If one understood that there could be personal benefits in being in politics, then one could succeed greatly, he was fond of the saying “I seen my opportunities and I took ‘en” (RIORDON, Chapter, 1).

How he and those in Tammany hall justify the practice of honest graft is by practicing the spoils system where “Tammany heads of departments looked after their friends, within the law, and gave them what opportunities they could to made honest graft”(RIORDON, Chapter, 9) essentially looking after their friends through giving them jobs, thereby ensuring future votes. I think much of Plunkitts honest graft practices where illegal and I myself cannot distinguish between what he thinks is an honest graft and a dishonest graft. To me the practice of dishonest graft “robbin’ the city treasury or levyin’ blackmail on disorderly houses, or workin’ in with the gamblers and law breakers”(RIORDON, Chapter, 1) are no different then Plunkitt’s practice of honest

(RIORDON, Chapter, 20). To them New York City owes pretty much all it is today” to the political bosses (RIORDON, Chapter, 20). In additions to building up the grand Tammany organization, the political bosses help run the city government into a well oiled machine. He felt the Political bosses where an asset to the party and help the party system run better, Plunkitt resented those that criticized the political bosses and tried to do away with them. The political bosses worked with the people and where able to garner votes needed to keep the Democratic Party in political party at Tammany hall. Like Plunkitt, the political bosses where able to use their political position and power to line their own pockets, “If opportunities for turnin’ and honest dollar comes their ‘way, why shouldn’t they take advantage of them, just as I have done?” (RIORDON, Chapter, 20) This practice of lining their pockets with the city’s money, are some of the reasons for the heavy criticism of the Democratic political boss. Plunkitt felt the political bosses where the chief reason for the success of Tammany hall under the Democratic Party. He could relate to the political bosses and their actions, they both felt like they where working for the people of the city of New York, but in effect, Plunkitt and the political bosses where working for