The 'Buying-at-Home' League Opposes Prohibition
A group of Spokane business leaders claims the proposed 1914 prohibition act is a 'fake' that merely drives liquor revenue out of Washington State.
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The Buying-At-Home League of Spokane, Washington, after careful consideration of the act for state-wide prohibition to be submitted to the voters on November 3, has issued a warning. The League argues that the proposed law does not truly prohibit liquor consumption, but rather allows for the shipping of alcohol directly to consumers from other states. The League contends that this is not a question of morality or temperance, but an economic issue of 'buying at home or away from home.' They believe the law is designed to disadvantage local businesses while legitimizing the purchase of alcohol from outside the state, and therefore urges voters to reject the measure.
“That as a prohibition measure it is a FAKE, and that the only question to be voted on by the people is whether any person... shall buy his liquor manufactured and sold to him within the State of Washington, or must he procure a permit every twenty days and buy his liquor without the State of Washington.”
This argument highlights how business interests often framed moral legislation through the lens of local economic impact, a rhetorical strategy still common in debates over modern excise taxes and industry regulation in Washington.
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