Wayne Wheeler

Wayne Wheeler (1869 – 1927) was an American attorney and a longtime leader of the Anti-Saloon League. He is widely credited with playing a key role in the passage of the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which mandated Prohibition in the United States.

Early Life

Wayne Bidwell Wheeler was born on November 10, 1869, in Brookfield, Ohio. He was the eldest of three children in a devoutly Methodist family. His early experiences with the negative effects of alcohol, including a drunken farmhand accidentally stabbing him, shaped his lifelong aversion to alcohol and his dedication to the temperance movement.

Career

Wheeler joined the Anti-Saloon League in 1893, shortly after graduating from Oberlin College. He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming the organization's head lobbyist and, eventually, its general counsel. Wheeler's strategy, known as "pressure politics," involved mobilizing the League's substantial grassroots support to exert influence on politicians. This strategy was instrumental in the passage of the Eighteenth Amendment in 1919.

Wheeler's influence extended beyond the passage of the amendment. He was instrumental in drafting the Volstead Act, which provided for the federal enforcement of Prohibition. He also played a key role in the election of Prohibition-supporting politicians, earning him the nickname "the dry boss."

Death and Legacy

Wheeler died on September 5, 1927, just a few years before the repeal of Prohibition. Despite the ultimate failure of the Prohibition experiment, Wheeler's impact on American politics and policy was significant. His use of pressure politics set a precedent for future lobbying efforts, and his role in the passage of a constitutional amendment demonstrated the power of organized interest groups in American politics.

See Also

• Prohibition in the United States
• Anti-Saloon League
• Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
• Volstead Act