Women and temperance were closely linked. The temperance movement relied heavily on their enthusiastic support. And they were essential to the establishment of National Prohibition (1920-1933). I. Martha Washingtonians One of the earliest temperance groups was the Martha Washingtonians. Officially, it was the Ladies’ Temperance Benevolent Society. Temperance activists formed it in 1841. Women who …
The Sheppard Bone-Dry Act was also called the DC Prohibition Act. Officially, it was this. “An Act to prevent the manufacture and sale of alcoholic liquors in the District of Columbia and for other purposes.” The “for other purposes” refers to exceptions, penalties, and other matters. It was sponsored by Sen. Morris Sheppard in early …
Government dietary guidelines must be be reasonable and science-based. Imagine you’re at a friend’s party. You finish nursing your first beer and casually reach for a second. Everyone immediately stops and stares. Your friends start whispering to themselves, wondering if they should stage an intervention. Ridiculous and unjustified, right? Wrong! At least according to a …
Mississippi Mississippi is a dry state and was so long before National Prohibition began in 1920. And it was also the first state to ratify National Prohibition. Upon Repeal in 1933, it kept its own state-wide prohibition. Later, it “reaffirmed prohibition.” Thus Mississippi has a very long and strong temperance tradition. However, local governments do have local …
Many organizations published temperance magazines or journals. This listing includes most of those. However, it does not include annual reports, minutes, proceedings, or yearbooks. After each temperance magazine is when available, the place of publication, the sponsoring organization, and the dates of publication. Clicking on the title leads to its entry on Worldcat. (That’s short …
Prohibition and Progressives were closely connected. In fact, the Progressive Movement strongly promoted prohibition. The Progrssive Era was between about 1890 and 1920. It was a reaction to social problems caused by industrialization, political corruption, and other developments. Progressives wanted to create an ideal society. Their approach was to reduce individualism and increase the power …
Competition among producers of goods and services benefits consumers. It increases consumer choice, reduces prices, and improves customer service. Therefore, alcohol monopolies are anti-consumer. Monopolies Harm Consumers It was abolishing the old telephone monopoly that made possible the dramatic expansion of communication products that we take for granted today. And it was deregulation of the …
The U.S. Congress passed the Webb-Kenyon Act in 1913. It prohibited interstate “shipment or transportation” of alcoholic beverages “in violation of any law of [any] State, Territory, or District of the United States.” The Act was sponsored by Rep. Edwin Y. Webb, Democrat of North Carolina and William S. Kenyon, Republican of Iowa. It passed …
Anti-Saloon League founder Howard Hyde Russell founded the Lincoln-Lee Legion in 1903. It was to promote the signing of total alcohol abstinence pledges by children. The organization was originally called the Lincoln Legion. However, in 1912 it was renamed the Lincoln-Lee League. That was to make it more appealing to Southern children and their parents. …
The American Council on Alcohol Problems is a prohibition-oriented federation of state affiliates. It currently promotes a neo-prohibitionist agenda to stigmatize alcohol and marginalize those adults who choose to consume any alcoholic beverage. Even its logo shows a bottle of alcohol crossed out. The Council was known as the Anti-Saloon League from 1893 until 1948. …
