Book Report on Plunkitt of Tammany Hall Honest Graft and Dishonest Graft- When Plunkitt was tipped off about something in the city or someone wanting to built a park or something, he sees the opportunity and he takes it. He buys up the land before they do. When they see that they are going to need the land, he sells it to them at a much higher price than what he paid for it, giving him a nice profit. That is honest graft. Several politicians are accused of stealing dollars from the states treasury, this is an example of dishonest graft.The condemnation commissioners came along and found piece after piece of land under the name George Plunkitt of the Fifteenth Assembly District, New York City. They wondered how he knew just what to buy. Plunkitt sees the opportunity and he takes it.2. How to Become a Statesman- If you want to make a fame and fortune for yourself in politics, do not come at them with all of your book smarts and saying how smart you are. That is a big mistake. Get a person to follow you, even if it is only one person and say that you want to join the organization. Do not go at them with your book smarts because they will say that they have no use for you here.3. The Curse of the Civil Service Reform- Men who have patriotism get it blasted away when they take the civil services examination. The civil service law is the biggest fraud of the age. There are ten thousand good offices, but we cannot get no more than a few hundred of them. When we cannot place these men who wanted to serve their country, they become an Anarchist. There is nothing in the game.4. Reformers Only Morning Glories- Many reform movements were started during PLunkitts forty years in politics, but none have lasted more than a few years. Morning glories looked great in the beginning but folded in short time. These reformers have been going into things without much practice while the politicians, have been practicing all of their lives an...
