Thursday’s ad is entitled Indoor Golf Clinic, and the illustration was done in 1950 by Douglass Crockwell. It’s #40 in a series entitled “Home Life in America,” also known as the Beer Belongs series of ads that the United States Brewers Foundation ran from 1945 to 1956. In this ad, two couples are having a few beers, while the men practice their putting as the women try their best not to talk over them. But I think what may be hardest for them is trying not to laugh.
My friend Paul Marshall sent me this delightful little story about the state of the Prohibition Party in 2016. And yes, that Prohibition Party. Believe it or not it’s the oldest independent third-party still active, and they field a presidential candidate every four years. The party was founded in 1869, and its single defining platform was that they were, and still are, “opposed [to] the manufacture, distribution, and sale of alcoholic beverages.” I knew they were still around, hoping to convince people that Prohibition was really a good idea, and we should try it again, despite all evidence to the contrary. But what I didn’t know was just how small they’ve become.
In their heyday, before the 18th Amendment passed, they were active in American politics and contributed to the discussion, and even after Prohibition was enacted, continued to agitate for even stricter controls until they faded into obscurity. How obscure? In the 2012 national election for President of the United States, the Prohibition Party candidate, Jack Fellure of West Virginia, received 518 votes. But that’s not even the low point. One of their 2004 candidates, Earl Dodge of Colorado (there were two that election due to a split in the party), got 140 votes. At their peak, in 1892, John Bidwell of California received 270,770, which represented only a little bit less than half a percent of the roughly 63 million people then in the U.S. Seven times they cracked the 200,000 vote line, though not since 1916. The last time they hit over 100,000 votes was 1948, and 1976 was the last time they garnered more than 10,000. In the last three elections, less then 1,000 people voted for the party candidate.
According to the Guardian article by Adam Gabbatt, A sobering alternative? Prohibition party back on the ticket this election, revealed that this year’s candidate is Jim Hedges of Pennsylvania, and his running mate is Bill Bayes of Mississippi. Hedges is actually the only known member of the Prohibition Party to have held any elected office — local, state or national — in the 21st Century, when he was the Tax Assessor for Thompson Township, Pennsylvania between 2002 and 2007.
Gabbatt went to Pennsylvania to interview the candidates, and it’s a fascinating read. It’s interesting to hear him talk so matter-of-factly about such an anachronistic idea that most people have moved past, with the obvious exception of the anti-alcohol groups that still exist. But even they seemed to have abandoned trying to get Prohibition going again (even though they’d certainly be in favor of it). Instead, they’ve been slinging mud and trying to disrupt the manufacture and sale (though especially access and advertising) of alcohol pretty much since before the ink was dry on the 21st Amendment.
Not surprisingly, the makeup of the membership skews to an older demographic, and according to Hedges “the current members are over 50, many in their 70s and 80s, and many are ultra-conservative.” But one of the most surprising reveals in the article is just how small the Prohibition Party of today really is. Hedges said that there are “currently about three dozen fee-paying members, who each contribute $10 a year.” So that’s $360 the party receives in dues for the year, plus there was a trust set up in the 1930s that provides additional funds. In most elections recently, that’s allowed them to be on the ballot in just one state, though this year Hedges is hoping to make it onto the ballot in six states, with an ultimate goal of getting 1,000 votes in each. But he’s realistic about his changes of becoming president, which he states are simply. “Zero. None whatsoever.” Still, despite the great divide between his party’s platform, and my own politics, I still think he’d make a better president than Donald Trump. If only there were a button available.
Jim Hedges and Adam Gabbatt in McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania, taken by Guardian author Adam Gabbatt.
Today in 1942, US Patent 2283100 A was issued, an invention of Harry C. Shores, assigned to Anheuser-Busch, for his “Pressure Regulating Attachment For Liquid Containers.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in means for creating pressure within liquid containers, such as beer kegs, and the like, and has for its primary object to provide an inflatable bag adapted for attaching to a wall of the keg and projecting therein so that pressure of the liquid in the container may be increased by expanding the bag.
Wednesday’s ad is entitled Impromptu Concert, and the illustration was done in 1950 by John Gannam. It’s #39 in a series entitled “Home Life in America,” also known as the Beer Belongs series of ads that the United States Brewers Foundation ran from 1945 to 1956. In this ad, after many beers, a group of young people decided they could make their own music. The guy in the bow tie grabbed a guitar, because nothing screams rock and roll like a bow tie. And of course, to rock out you definitely need an accordion. This one’s going to be epic. But at least they’re reading music and playing their own instruments. I hate to say it, but that’s becoming a lost art. Lastly, check out the inset picture below the art, where it reads “Springtime is Bock Beer Time … Try It!” That mug is pretty awesome.
Today in 1915, US Patent 1139007 A was issued, an invention of Randolph L. Wright, assigned to Anheuser-Busch, for his “Barrel Rack.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
This invention relates to barrel holders and particularly to a device for supporting barrels, preferably kegs containing nails, in position whereby the said keg may be tilted to discharge the contents thereof wholly or in part without undue effort of the operator, the said invention furthermore including novel means whereby the keg is held in a vertical or upright position by gravity when manipulation thereof ceases.
Tuesday’s ad is entitled My New Hobby, and the illustration was done in 1950 by Douglass Crockwell. It’s #38 in a series entitled “Home Life in America,” also known as the Beer Belongs series of ads that the United States Brewers Foundation ran from 1945 to 1956. In this ad, Dad shows off his new hobby, and beer is most definitely in order. Otherwise, someone might quip that he better not have quit his day job, because I don’t know if his family will tell him, but he needs some more practice. The woman in green is looking so intently at the still life on the easel that I wonder if she’s thinking. “What is that supposed to be?”
Today in 1960, US Patent 2936100 A was issued, an invention of Victor H. Chatten, assigned to Anheuser-Busch, for his “Dispenser For Carbonated Beverages.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
This invention relates to apparatus for dispensing a gas-charged liquid from a container and is particularly directed to apparatus for dispensing a carbonated beverage, for example, beer, from a conventional keg.
It is the principal object of this invention to provide an insert member which can be introduced into the interior of the container through an opening therein which member includes a cavity containing liquified gas under pressure and which member also contains a regulator device for introducing gas from the cavity into the container, the action of the regulator being controlled from a member accessible exteriorly of the container. Another object is to provide dispensing apparatus of this type in which the insert member includes a passage for delivery of fluid from the interior of the container. A more detailed object is to provide dispensing apparatus of this type in which means accessible exteriorly of the container are provided to control flow of gas from the cavity to the interior of the container and also to control flow of liquid from the interior of the container.
Today in 1887, US Patent 362809 A was issued, an invention of W.J. Woodley of San Francisco, California, for his “Faucet Hole And Stopper Combined.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
My invention relates to a device for preventing the flow and waste of fluid while stoppering or breaching vessels containing beer, wine, or other liquids.
Today in 1955, US Patent 2707827 A was issued, an invention of Fred W. Petram, for his “Combined Can Holder and Opener.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
This invention relates to can openers and more particularly to a combined can opener and holder.
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a device which may be efficiently and easily used in opening and holding a can of beer or a can of juice or similar material, the construction consisting entirely of one piece.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a combined can holder and opener of the above type which is adapted to snap on to the upper lip of the can at the end of the device remote from the can opening portion, the latter being resiliently retained against the lower lip of the can with the device intermediate its ends curving outwardly to provide a grasping portion.
Monday’s ad is entitled Decorating For Christmas, and the illustration was done in 1949 by Douglass Crockwell. It’s #37 in a series entitled “Home Life in America,” also known as the Beer Belongs series of ads that the United States Brewers Foundation ran from 1945 to 1956. In this ad, it appears that several people have come over to a house to drink beer and watch the couple who own that house as they decorate for Christmas. Apparently this used to be a spectator sport, drink some beer and watch people work.
