Bosses played an important role in the United States in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century. Economic bosses like labor contractors and political bosses like Tammany Hall's George Washington Plunkitt epitomized, for better or worse, that era. Merlino (1893) reported on common labor practices and asserted that contractors oppressed laborers, especially Italian immigrants. This is because there were so many men seeking work and contractors took advantage of the situation for their own financial benefit. There were no laws to prevent contractors from requiring a fee before hiring workers and a "contractor [was] sure to depart from the terms of the contract either as to wages, or hours of labor, or the very nature of the work (Merlino, 1893, p. 73)."
Workers were at the mercy of contractors because contractors would demand fees from workers before they were hired and would charge them for transportation costs to and from the job. Laborers had no power to change any part of the contract. In addition, contractors used the pluck-me store to oppress workers. Workers were forced to buy food and supplies at these stores at greatly inflated prices. Merlino (1893) also claimed that workers were victims of slavery. He cites the case of workers sent from New York to South Carolina under false pretenses and made to work in mines. They were forced to pay for their transportation and tools. Armed guards watched over them. They were released from servitude only when the weather became hot.
In contrast, politician George Washington Plunkitt extolled the virtues of bosses. Plunkitt maintains that he practiced honest graft by stating "I seen my opportunities and I took 'em (Riordon, 1905, p. 76)." He offers an example to explain his behavior. He found out that a new park would be built and bought land surrounding the location. When the park was built, he sold the land for a profit. Plunkitt argues that he ...