TWAIN QUOTE

[Shapiro, Fred]

In The Yale Book of Quotations I cite Mark Twain's 1890-91 notebook for this.  Thanks for finding earlier evidence!

Fred Shapiro



________________________________________
From: American Dialect Society [ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of Jonathan Lighter [wuxxmupp2000 at yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2008 10:22 AM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: honest politicians

The earliest I've seen of this immortal dictum, usu. attributed to Simon Cameron but sometimes (though not lately) to Thomas B. Reed. Who was truly responsible?

1884 _Kansas City Eve. Star_ (Dec. 10) 2: According to a distinguished authority, an honest politician is one who, when he is once bought, stays bought.

JL




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