Circulating Temperance
Evening Journal, 2 July 1903
The women of the WCTU circulated their materials on temperance and total abstinence as a means to reach the masses. This included a massive campaign during the years 1899-1900 which involved sending out nearly 270,000 abstinence related pieces of literature like circulars, clipsheets, leaflets and books. The women were also sure to use other mediums like newspaper articles to broaden their audience. The circulation of their literature, in all forms, became an exceptionally useful aspect of their political campaigns for temperance.
The women also worked to extend their message past the printed word. They would often include notices of oratorical contests, medal contests and other family inclusive activities that required participation.
The message of the WCTU varied depending on the time of the circulars. Some would focus on alcohol and tobacco, while at other times they used the medium for influencing voters on specific temperance issues. Despite the massive use and influence of the circulating materials of the Union, there were times when the women resorted to the original methods of the evangelicals, simply conversing with those within the community.
The women also wanted to share their message far and wide and did so by creating care bags to be sent to isolated locations. They depended on the those in charge of the camps to circulate the materials to the men working in these northern remote areas. The men often did not receive the circulars sent to them in care bags (with other items). This was usually because a foreman refused to share the materials or would charge the men a fee for the contents of the bags. With this information the women changed tactics and started to embed a missionary representative in these types of camps to share their message. Whether the women sent paper literature or were conversing in person, there was never any question as to the message they were sending to those they approached, TEMPERANCE!