Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-01-28
THE WAR AGAINST LIQUOR.
Story OF Dry Movement From Itssin-
ception to Now.

The international, worldwide move
ment for prohibition. in which the
United States has played leading
part and which has now resulted ac-
ton by q sufficient number of states to
make the nation dry, was brought rap
idly into the foreground Of public af-
fairs by the opening Of the world war
in 1914. The nations fighting for their
existence and freedom of the world
we're compelled to bend every energy
to the task, and the waste occurring
through the liquor traffic was one Of
the first evils to which attention was
called.
The most spectacular blow the traf-
fic received in Europe was the action
of the old government of Russia when
at stroke of his pen the czar prohib-
tied the sale Of vodka, the national
drink. Other nations began to curb the
liquor interests, notably France and
England. Canada had been under To-
cal option since the passage Of the
Canadian temperance act in 1878, and
during the war became practically dry.
Prohibition history in the United
States dates back to before the Civil
war, when Neal Dow's dry law became
effective in the state Of Maine, in 1851,
later being written into the states con-
stitution. This first wave Of prohibi-
ton spread to Massachusetts,, Rhode
Island and Vermont, but the two for
mer states soon repealed the laws that
they had passed.
The reconstruction period in the
United States following the Civil war
witnessed a rapid and wide growth in
the liquor business. immigration from
Germany was a factor, German beer
being introduced and great breweries
for it's production in the United States
on a large scale being established.
There was a corresponding effort by
the moral forces Of the country to off,
set this menace, and the established
political parties having refused to in
corporate in their platforms planks
against the liquor trade. the Prohibi-
ton party came into being in 1863,
holding its first national convention In
1872. This move was followed in 1874
by the organization Of the Women's
Christian Temperance Union, the two
organizations becoming the great early
foes of the liquor interests.
The prohibition movement of more
recent times in the United States has
been carried on largely through the
Iinstrumentality Of the Anti-Saloon
league and it's branches, the parent or
ganization being formed in 1898 In
Ohio. The policy of the Anti-Saloon
League which proved most successful In
combating the liquor interests was that
of looping off branches of the tree
when it was felt that the greater result
of statewide prohibition could not be
Immediately secured. BY this policy
local option laws were passed in many
states and cities, counties and town.
ships were made dry, while the bigger
fight was continued for a statewide
law.
In the early sos prohibition wave
spread over the middle west. Kansas
Iowa and the Dakotas passing prohip
tory laws. Iowa's stand was annulle'
later by the passage Of the notoriou:
Mulct law, the effect Of which was tt
hermit liquor traffic in the large citie:
of the state, and in smaller communi'
ties where the population took no de
cided stand against it. The Dakota'
also receded from their prohibition &C
ton.
The next great move for prohibition
came, strangely enough, from tn
south, where the liquor interests were
considered well-intrenched. Early IT
the twentieth century southern states
began to enact prohibition laws and