BOOK REVIEW - Will McLean Greeley ‘Connecticut Yankee Goes to Washington: Senator George P. McLean, Birdman of the Senate’.
*BOOK REVIEW* - kindly gifted.
Will McLean Greeley ‘Connecticut Yankee Goes to Washington: Senator George P. McLean, Birdman of the Senate’.
This book was a welcome change to my usual reads, it was clear and to the point. I enjoyed the references to what George P. McLean was passionate about, and how progressive he was. I truly believe he was ‘before his time’ with the conservation of migratory birds, as well as his views on mental health and his struggles (mentally) during his political career, he became an advocate for mental health in his adult life before establishing an association of physicians, psychiatrists researchers and other mental health practitioners.
I also appreciate how Will questioned the language used during George’s career, he addressed it and highlighted how the language used was ‘offensive and disparaging’ and certain terms had ‘become increasingly offensive and unacceptable’, and that ‘it’s a sad reminder that racism is embedded in almost every institution in America’.
Will McLean Greeley grew up in west Michigan, and passions included American history, politics and birds. His academic experiences include a Bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Michigan and a master’s also from Michigan in archives administration. The process of writing this book resulted in Will retiring from a 35-year career in government and corporate market research. This writing project was to learn more about his great-great uncle George P. McLean and his legacy and took a three-year research and writing journey.
George P. McLean (1857-1932) was the 59th Governor of Connecticut and a United States senator. His life spanned three different periods of American history; from the Gilded Age (1877-1900) to the Progressive Era (1896-1917), and the Roaring Twenties (1920-29). He was elected as a Republican to the U.S. Senate in 1910 and served from 1911-1929. One of his main achievements included protecting migratory birds through international treaties and regulating the hunting of birds for the hat trade. Originally, George did enjoy hunting, however, over time he noticed the practice of killing large numbers of ducks and wrote several articles stating that future generations were at risk of missing out on the sport. In 1888, he helped establish the Connecticut Association of Farmers and Sportsmen for Protection of Game and Fish.
In Will’s book, he stated that during George’s time as a state senator, he advocated for lowering the taxation of estates, reforming insurance rates, conducting tubercular testing of livestock, and abolishing the prison contract labour system. Furthermore, during the 1880s McLean worked as a lawyer and worked alongside the New Haven Railroad. Some of his legal work included the safety of railroad crossings as many accidents were horrific, and in the 1890s a bill was introduced that aimed to compel railroad companies to pay for all crossing improvements.
George had progressive elements, he spoke out against political corruption and the buying and selling of votes and wanted teachers to make ‘men honest before they become dishonest’ as well as urging legislature to pass new laws enabling women’s suffrage in local and municipal elections, however, not calling for suffrage in state and national elections. George’s call for women to vote in city and local elections was ‘killed’ in committee.
After George had passed, his will and lasting legacy provided for the care of sick and elderly women in memory of his sisters Hannah and Sarah. He also set up a trust fund that once reached $10 million, the money would be used to construct a facility to care for sick mothers, and was established in honour of his mother and auntie.
George’s legacy continues to live on as his early ideas on conservation have been adapted from what was simply to protect migratory birds, to broadening the Act to consider the ‘accidental take’ of protected birds and holding companies accountable, such as the 1989 Exxon-Valdez oil spill, which resulted in the death of 250,000 birds.
Copies of the book can be found here:
European listing:
https://boydellandbrewer.com/9781939125996/a-connecticut-yankee-goes-to-washington/
U.K. listing:
https://www.nhbs.com/a-connecticut-yankee-goes-to-washington-book
It can also be found on Amazon here:
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