Bad scan, but cool political item

I found this the other day in an antique shop in Brookings. At $3.50, I think I got a steal. Even though it's a North Dakota political item it's still nearly 100 years old. And for those of you not familiar with the term, W.C.T.U. stands for Women's Christian Temperance Union, one of the groups which campaigned for the 18th Amendment, which most may know as "Prohibition" which passed the U.S. Senate in 1917.

This ribbon is from their ND convention during a time period that would have been the organization's heyday.

Comments

Anonymous said…
So how did that work when the government put a ban on drinking? Nobody ever drank again? Or another failed attempt to legislate morallity?
Anonymous said…
I don't know who is worse - you or Kranz - for shamlessly plugging your political collections through media outlets you write for. OK - I'm jealous - nice find.
PP said…
The scan was terrible. It's actually a fairly nice white campaign ribbon.
Anonymous said…
One of the worst political errors in American history was tying the right for women to vote with prohibition. It guaranteed the liquor industry's deep pockets would fund the opposition until the issues were finally separated.

And I agree with anon 9:32 p.m. Prohibition and every other attempt to legislate morality fail.
Douglas said…
Prohibition did more or less what proponents said it would until government enforcement was corrupted.

Somewhat like the temporary end of the SD video lottery, there was a drop in spousal abuse and other social problems and expenses related to the consumption of alcohol.

Alcohol is an unnecessary social evil and the industry gets a huge subsidy from all of us in terms of increased vehicle and health insurance costs that the liquor industry should be paying for, but leaves to those who are responsible.

Walmart dumping its healthcare costs onto the public health system has a wonderful model in the liquor industry.

All the taxes paid in South Dakota probably cover only a small part of the social expense related to alcohol-related vehicle crashes.

Corporations want to be treated like individuals for exploiting the advantages of personhood, but don't want to accept anything like personal responsibility for the destruction and costs they dump onto the society that tolerates them.
Anonymous said…
That is a neat find PP. What are the dimensions of this ribbon? What is the best way to conserve it? Would you try to iron it to get the wrinkles out?

I wonder if you could find more history on that convention ie platform, candidates endorsed, keynote speakers etc..
PP said…
It's about 3x9, and it's in a small polybag.

I don't think I'd try to fold it, although I might try to mount it under glass if I decide to keep it.

I used to have some that were much neater. The same shop in Brookings has some VERY old Nebraska pins that I might have to go back and get to use for trade.

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