In this study the author has endeavored to describe the
social background, the personal qualities, and the technique
of a typical state political boss. The boss system was in a
particularly flourishing condition during the late nineties in
the northeastern part of the United States. Thomas Col-
lier Platt of New York was selected for this analysis because
there is a wealth of material available upon New York
politics. In calling Senator Platt a "boss" the author does
not wish to pass judgment upon the man. The endeavor
is to give some objective meaning to the term. Platt hap-
pened to be the man who was recognized as the leader of
the Republican party in the state of New York at the time
when Theodore Roosevelt was coming into national notice.
Platt's relations with Roosevelt would make an intensely
interesting biographical study. The author has attempted
to touch upon some of these relations. But only in part
of this book is the chronological method followed. The
organization of the book sometimes does violence to the
sequence of events, but it is hoped that the arrangement
adds to the understanding of the boss and the machine in
actual operation.

In gathering material for this analysis, the writer was
aided by the following New Yorkers: Hon. Frederick M.
Davenport, state senator from Clinton, Col. D. A. Alexan-
der, former congressman from Buffalo, Hon. C. H. Betts,
state assemblyman from Lyons, Hon. B. B. Odell, former
governor of New York, Hon. Chauncey M. Depew, former
United States senator, Hon. Herbert P. Parsons, former

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