Anti-Prohibition Article in Franklin County Tribune

I found an interesting article from Franklin County that tackles the debate on prohibition. It was published in 1918, only two years before prohibition was passed. I was initially drawn to this piece because it was written in a more unconventional way compared to other columns. The writer instead chose to list reasons why citizens should vote against prohibition in an almost infographic, bullet note way. Like the modulated text and photos that make blog posts more engaging and easier to read, this format helped get the information across in a faster and clearer way.

This article takes a strong position against prohibition. It urges readers to vote no on amendment 6 for a plethora of reasons but emphasizes how prohibiting the manufacture and sale of liquor would be an undemocratic act and take away their liberties. This article mainly focuses on what may happen if prohibition is passed, while the blogs in the readings focus on what happened in the aftermath of prohibition. One of the predictions in my article directly ties to the blog titled A Century Ago: Prohibition in Missouri. The article from Franklin County warns that, if prohibition is passed, then the people would adopt illicit distilling and homebrewing. The reality of this situation is further explained in the blog, which lists establishments such as The Rieger, which was once a center for organized alcohol crime, and now is a restaurant.

Another blog post, World War I Played Key Role in Passage of Prohibition introduces the impact of the temperance movement during this time. The author explains that temperance advocates were able to get multiple alcohol banning laws passed leading up to the prohibition era by persuading politicians. They maintained that prohibiting alcohol would protect children, as well as play a role in American patriotism and pride. However, the article from Franklin county argues that the proposed prohibition is solely based on “extreme propaganda” and would severely harm thousands of local businesses.