100 years ago in Spokane: A visiting Prohibitionist warned that ‘the evils common to the open saloon’ could be returning

The general counsel of the Anti-Saloon League of America came to Spokane to raise an alarm.

He said that the “wets” of America had a “fighting chance to bring beer back to America” unless the “dry” advocates “awaken to the danger.”

He warned that New York and Chicago politicians were pledged to support the wets “because it is good politics.” They were trying to raise Prohibition’s legal threshold from a half-percent of alcohol to four or five percent – which would make most beer legal.

“Can’t you see what that means?” asked the counsel. “It means that if the wets win their fight in Congress, we will have all of the evils common to the open saloon and all the drunkenness which we thought we had ridded ourselves of.”

From the spiritualist beat: Spokane in 1922 was well-supplied with spiritualists, if the classified ads were any indication. The listings showed seven spiritualists, including Madam Lane, “noted psychic and trance medium.” Another, Madame Davis, gave “private readings daily or by mail.”

For those who would rather know what the stars might say, Professor F.F. Neitzel offered horoscope reading daily from his office on Third Avenue.

Also on this day

(From the Associated Press)

1913: The 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, providing for a federal income tax, was ratified.

1959: Rock-and-roll stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson died in a small plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa.