In the latter years of the nineteenth century and the first decades of the twentieth, temperance and prohibition were prominent issues on the social and political stage. The temperance movement found adherents across the political spectrum, from Social Gospellers like J.S. Woodsworth and Rev. Charles Gordon to middle class reformers like the Women's Christian Temperance Union , the Dominion Alliance and the Royal Templars of Temperance to working class organizations like the Trades and Labour Council and the Socialist Women's League .
Prohibition has a long and complicated history in Manitoba.
There were two provincial referenda on prohibition in 1893 and 1898, and it was the major election issue in 1899. Both referenda had passed, but neither had been enforced, in part due to questions about their constitutionality. In 1901, the government of Sir Rodmond Roblin faced the temperance issue. Public sentiment was strongly in favour of prohibition, but the government was reluctant to enforce the Prohibition Act, in part because the sale of liquor was a major source of tax income for the province. After putting the matter before the courts, which upheld the legality of prohibition, Roblin decided to put the matter to another vote.