George W. Plunkitt Quotes

The Democratic party of the nation ain’t dead, though it’s been givin’ a lifelike imitation of a corpse for several years. <small>p. 88</small>

I rope them all in by givin’ them opportunities to show themselves off. I don’t trouble them with political arguments. I just study human nature and act accordin’. <small>p. 26</small>

Before midnight we were all in bed, and next mornin’ we were up bright and early attendin’ to business, while other men were nursin’ swelled heads. Is there anything the matter with temperance as a pure business proposition? <small>p. 80</small>

You can’t study human nature in books. Books is a hindrance more than anything else. <small>p. 25</small>

I think every man would be better off if he didn’t take any intoxicatin’ drink at all, but as men will drink, they ought to have good stuff without impoverishin’ themselves by goin’ to fancy places and without riskin’ death by goin’ to poor places. <small>p. 86</small>

There’s the biggest kind of a difference between political looters and politicians who make a fortune out of politics by keepin’ their eyes wide open. The looter goes in for himself alone without considerin’ his organization or his city. The politician looks after his own interests, the organization’s interests, and the city’s interests all at the same time. See the distinction? <small>p. 29</small>

Everybody is talkin’ these days about Tammany men growin’ rich on graft, but nobody thinks of drawin’ the distinction between honest graft and dishonest graft. <small>p. 3, first line</small>

They learned how to put up a pretty good bluff—and bluff counts a lot in politics. <small>p. 18</small>

I ain’t up on sillygisms, but I can give you some arguments that nobody can answer. <small>p. 13</small>

The man is picked out and somehow he gets to understand what’s expected of him in the way of a contribution, and he ponies up—all from gratitude to the organization that honored him, see? <small>p. 74</small>

Ought these good people be subjected to the immoral influence of money taken from the saloon tainted money? Out of respect for the tender consciences of these pious people, the Raines law ought to exempt them from all contamination from the plunder that comes from the saloon traffic. Say, mark that sarcastic. Some people who ain’t used to fine sarcasm might think I meant it. <small>p. 85</small>

The boys and men don’t get excited any more when they see a United States flag or hear “The Star-Spangled Banner.” They don’t care no more for firecrackers on the Fourth of July. And why should they? What is there in it for them? <small>p. 14</small>

The time is comin’ and though I’m no youngster, I may see it, when New York City will break away from the State and become a state itself. <small>p. 65</small>

Don't show off your learning; that's just another way of style.

As a matter of policy, if nothing else, why should the Tammany leaders go into such dirty business, when there is so much honest graft lyin’ around when they are in power? <small>p. 6</small>