Historical witness

“South, Stronghold of Prohibition … Torch Bearer” (1920)

This 1920 newspaper page is useful because it presents Prohibition as a public final fight against liquor traffic and even uses the phrase “torch bearer.”

Updated March 8, 2026 Section: Resources

What this page shows

The headline reads “South, Stronghold of Prohibition, Again Called on as Torch Bearer in Final Fight with Liquor Traffic.” The article presents the struggle against liquor traffic as a national moral campaign rather than as a merely private preference.

Washington County News newspaper page about the final fight with liquor traffic
Washington County News, Thursday, January 1, 1920. The page portrays the anti-liquor campaign as a public moral cause and uses “torch bearer” language in that setting.

Why this matters

The value of this page is historical perspective. It reminds readers that large public campaigns against liquor traffic were supported by moral, civic, and religious arguments at the same time. That background helps explain why earlier Christian readers often spoke about alcohol far more severely than many modern readers expect.

Source-book context

The source book places this image beside other historical material arguing that many Protestant groups saw alcohol as socially destructive and morally corrosive. The page is therefore best used as a witness page that stands behind the main biblical studies, not in front of them.

Return to Is drinking a sin? and Wine in the Bible for the scriptural argument.

Frequently asked questions

Why keep the “torch bearer” wording visible?

Because it is part of the historical headline itself and helps readers understand the language of the public campaign.

Is this page about modern politics?

No. It is a preserved historical witness page connected to the alcohol question.