American Issue Publishing House
Encyclopedia
The American Issue Publishing Company, incorporated in 1909, was the holding company of the Anti-Saloon League
of America. Its printing presses operated 24 hours a day and it employed 200 people in the small town of Westerville, Ohio
, where the company was headquartered. Within the first three years of its existence, the publishing house was producing about 250,000,000 (one quarter billion) book pages per month, and the quantity increased yearly. This dwarfed the enormous output of the National Temperance Society and Publishing House
, which took over half a century to print one billion pages.
The American Issue Publishing Company played a major role in advancing the interests of the temperance movement
. Not only did it publish an enormous quantity of temperance materials but it also produced some of the most prestigious temperance publications, including The Standard Encyclopedia of the Alcohol Problem, a multi-volume work edited by Ernest Cherrington
and published between 1925 and 1930.
Anti-Saloon League
The Anti-Saloon League was the leading organization lobbying for prohibition in the United States in the early 20th century. It was a key component of the Progressive Era, and was strongest in the South and rural North, drawing heavy support from pietistic Protestant ministers and their...
of America. Its printing presses operated 24 hours a day and it employed 200 people in the small town of Westerville, Ohio
Westerville, Ohio
Westerville, once known as "The Dry Capital of the World", is a city in Franklin and Delaware counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 35,318 at the 2000 census.-Early history:...
, where the company was headquartered. Within the first three years of its existence, the publishing house was producing about 250,000,000 (one quarter billion) book pages per month, and the quantity increased yearly. This dwarfed the enormous output of the National Temperance Society and Publishing House
National Temperance Society and Publishing House
The National Temperance Society and Publishing House was founded in 1865. During its first 60 years, it published over a billion pages of literature in support of the temperance movement.Its three monthly magazines had a combined circulation of about 600,000...
, which took over half a century to print one billion pages.
The American Issue Publishing Company played a major role in advancing the interests of the temperance movement
Temperance movement
A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
. Not only did it publish an enormous quantity of temperance materials but it also produced some of the most prestigious temperance publications, including The Standard Encyclopedia of the Alcohol Problem, a multi-volume work edited by Ernest Cherrington
Ernest Cherrington
Ernest Cherrington was a leading temperance journalist . He became active in the Anti-Saloon League and was appointed editor of the organization's publishing house, the American Issue Publishing Company. He edited and contributed to the writing of The Standard Encyclopedia of the Alcohol Problem,...
and published between 1925 and 1930.
Sources
- Hanson, David J. Preventing Alcohol Abuse: Alcohol, Culture, and Control. Westport, CT: Praeger, 1996.
- Odegard, Peter H. Pressure Politics: The Story of the Anti-Saloon League. NY: Columbia University Press, 1928.