Monastery at Large

In the Words of G.L. Norrman: On Prohibition (1899)

Written by

Monastic

in

, ,

The Background

A recurring theme of G.L. Norrman‘s career was his vocal opposition to the prohibition of alcohol, at a time when the temperance movement was in full force in the United States, and many cities and states attempted to ban its sale and production.

Atlanta enacted prohibition in July 1886,1 reportedly prompting Norrman to return to practice for a brief time in Greenville, South Carolina,2 which had not yet passed a similar law, although nearby Spartanburg had in 1884 — by just 4 votes.3 4

Prohibition was incredibly unpopular in Atlanta, and the city’s business leaders loudly complained that it made them lose money. In November 1887, as Atlantans prepared to vote for a repeal of the law, The Atlanta Constitution asked the city’s architects if they had designed any commercial buildings since prohibition began. None had. Norrman reported:

“In response to your inquiry, I can say that I have no store building on hand to be erected in Atlanta, nor have I had for two years. I had some drawings made for five stores, two years ago, but they were not built, as the owner did not think it would pay to build them after prohibition started here.”5

Three days after Norrman’s remarks, a reported 15,000 Atlantans took to the streets in protest against prohibition,6 and the next day, voters overwhelmingly voted to end the ban.7

The threat of prohibition loomed again in 1899, when the Georgia House of Representatives approved a measure proposing a statewide ban,8 prompting Norman to write the following letter to The Atlanta Journal, published on December 2, 1899.

The attempt at statewide prohibition in Georgia failed a few days later,9 10 but ultimately succeeded in 1907, 13 years before prohibition was enacted nationwide.

Norrman’s remarks:

“In answer to some requests for my opinion about the prohibition bill, I will say that I think it is too much ado about nothing.

“It is morally wrong to confiscate property, or to debar people from using the comforts and luxuries of life in moderation on account of a few drunkards.

“If school boys, church members, prohibitionists, club men and legislators, or anybody else if they should get drunk, were taken to the station house and well whipped, there would rarely, or ever, be and drunkenness.

“‘The punishment should always fit the crime.’ So disgraceful behavior deserves disgraceful punishment.

“Prohibition practically confiscates a great deal of capital which is now used in a legal and proper manner, while whipping drunkards instead of petting them would only queer the business of the professional revivalist. The only business that would be seriously affected by such a law is that of the temperance lecturer. He would necessarily have to go out of business less than six months after such a law went into effect, for the lack of stock in trade. After that time, if there should be any drunkards left, they would keep so quiet that he could hardly pick out enough to arouse any emotion, even in the most sentimental of sentimentalists.”

G.L. Norrman11

References

  1. “Closed Up”. The Atlanta Constitution, July 1, 1886, p. 1. ↩︎
  2. Morgan, Thomas H. “The Georgia Chapter of The American Institute of Architects”. The Atlanta Historical Bulletin, Volume 7, No. 28 (September 1943): p. 146. ↩︎
  3. “Local Option Elections”. Edgefield Advertiser (Edgefield, South Carolina), December 4, 1884, p. 2. ↩︎
  4. “Death Struggle With Saloons In Former Days of Spartanburg”. Spartanburg Weekly Herald, February 6, 1906, p. 6. ↩︎
  5. “Here Are the Facts”. The Atlanta Constitution, November 22, 1887, p. 5. ↩︎
  6. “15,000 People”. The Atlanta Constitution, December 4, 1884, p. 1. ↩︎
  7. “It Is Wet”. The Atlanta Constitution, November 27, 1887, p. 10. ↩︎
  8. “The Prohibition Bill Passed the House By Vote of 93 to 65”. The Atlanta Journal, November 22, 1899, p. 5. ↩︎
  9. “Prohibition Bill Killed in the Senate; Vote 26-14”. The Atlanta Journal, December 8, 1899, p. 1. ↩︎
  10. “Senate Kills Willingham Bill By Emphatic Vote of 26 to 14”. The Atlanta Constitution, December 9, 1899, p. 1. ↩︎
  11. “(Communicated.)” The Atlanta Journal, December 2, 1899, p. 5. ↩︎

More posts