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Writing History & Mysteries

When I'm not delving into historical research, I'm planning a character's demise.

Sunday, April 19, 2015

P is for PROHIBITION

Perry Herald - October 31, 1917
The 18th Amendment on Prohibition was proposed by the United States Senate on December 18, 1917, and took until 1920 to pass-- but New York State already had their own liquor laws in place. Since before the turn of the century organizations were already active in their effort to curb crime and protect family values that were being deteriorated by, as they saw it, alcohol.

On the other side of the coin, by 1920 New York Governor, Alfred E. Smith, wanted no interference by the federal government in the matter of liquor sales as the state and county governments collected a large amount of revenue through liquor tax. Obviously, saloon operators were against it as well as legitimate liquor manufacturers. It would also cause a confusing problem for drug manufactures, pharmacists, and doctors as alcohol was often a main ingredient in prescriptions in the early 1900s.

A percentage of the general public, who enjoyed tipping one now and then, was against the idea for obvious reasons. Although many members of anti-alcohol groups were religious minded church goers, it soon became a conundrum behind the pulpit since wine was used during religious services by several denominations.

Most towns in Wyoming County, NY showed no great increase in crime during 1918-1933. There had always been laws in one form or involving liquor in regards to selling without a license or public intoxication, and since the advent of the automobile—driving while intoxicated.  This was the first time, however, laws restricted having alcohol in your home, druggists in their ability to prescribe medication that contained alcohol, and wine during church services. Residents of a dry town, who were essentially good citizens, were now considered law breakers for having alcohol. ....
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 You can read my upcoming release as a short on Prohibition in Wyoming County later in 2015.
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Stay tuned for more history tidbits throughout the month of April!

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11 comments:

  1. Thanks for visiting my blog. It had to be an interesting time during prohibition, I am not sure I agree with the concept of it.

    Betty

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And everyone bootlegged, even the small villages.

      Delete
  2. This is a nice history lesson here.

    Thanks for visiting my blog! :)


    -Chrys Fey
    Tremp’s Troops - A to Z Co-co-host
    Write with Fey

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hello there.
    Just making my way around the challenge.
    Thanks for sharing.

    Entrepreneurial Goddess

    ReplyDelete
  4. Just curious, is there a reason you are writing about Wyoming County, NY as opposed to another place? Are your writing based in this county? My husband has stories of his grandma running a "blind pig" a speakeasy during Prohibition.
    www.mauijungalow.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes actually I'm the assistant county historian. :)

      Delete
  5. I have read diaries of British Politicians that visited the US during prohibition, it is funny because their usual entries included quite a bit of drinking, and the ones in the US had some observing they felt better, drinking Iced Tea and non-alcoholic drinks...

    ReplyDelete
  6. For or against, to be or not to be that is the question, AtoZ challenger at Barn & Beach

    ReplyDelete
  7. I like the comment from Maria Catalina Vergara Egan as I'm a Brit! We never had prohibition here. I don't mind a bit of iced tea but prefer a nice gin and tonic when I go to the pub. Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  8. To me, and many others, Prohibition was one of the dumbest things we ever did. The rise of organized crime came from it for one. It also helped bring about Nascar with the cars used for rum runners from what I read.

    ReplyDelete

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