Content note: Anti-Catholic newspaper front page with a skull-and-crossbones emblem labelled 'Temporal Power' and claims of a Roman Catholic conspiracy. This object is shown as it was published. Why
The Menace front page, 12 April 1913 (Aurora, Missouri)
Front page of an anti-Catholic weekly. A boxed counter in the masthead prints "574,845" total subscriptions above a line asking readers to hand the copy to another, and the banner headline reports a "Conspiracy Against The Menace" by "the Romanists" under a skull-and-crossbones emblem labelled "Temporal Power".
- Date
- April 12, 1913
- Period
- Pre-1914
- Made by
- The Menace (Menace Publishing Co., Aurora, Missouri); editor Rev. Theo. C. Walker
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Newspaper pages
- Issuer type
- Media
- Regime
- Wilson Administration
- Leader
- Woodrow Wilson
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Demonize
- Themes
- Religion, Media and information
- Techniques
- BandwagonScapegoating
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- Library of Congress (Chronicling America), retrieved September 29, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. newspaper published 1913, more than 95 years ago)
The Menace (Aurora, Mo.), 12 April 1913, p. 1. Library of Congress, Chronicling America; image produced by the State Historical Society of Missouri.
Text on the object
When You Have Read This Copy of The Menace, Will You Favor Us By Handing It to Another? [counter box] Total subscriptions previously reported 569,714 New subscriptions last week 12,317 Subscriptions expiring last week 7,186 Gain for the week 5,131 Total number subscriptions this date 574,845 Total edition printed last week 596,360 [emblem: skull and crossbones under a triple crown] TEMPORAL POWER A PUBLIC MENACE Established April 15, 1911. This Is Number 104 THE MENACE Menace Publishing Co., Publishers. Incorporated Under Missouri Laws PUBLISHED WEEKLY AT AURORA, MISSOURI PRICE 2c SATURDAY, APRIL 12, 1913 [emblem: schoolhouse] THE ANTIDOTE FOR PAPAL POISON PUBLISHED for the preservation of liberty, the promotion of progress and the advancement of civilization. As a means to this end we advocate the absolute separation of church and state, the taxation of all church property and the compulsory education of all children up to the age of fourteen years in the public schools. ENTERED AT POSTOFFICE, AURORA, MO., AS 2ND. CLASS MATTER REV. THEO. C. WALKER, Editor MARVIN BROWN, Associate Editor A Heretofore Unheard of Conspiracy Against The Menace Brought to Light! Federal Prosecution of the Appeal to Reason in Kansas Reveals Plot of the Romanists to Discredit and Destroy This Paper By Associating It With Socialist Propaganda. Evidence at Preliminary Hearing In Girard Shows That Deal Had Been Made Whereby Certain Government Officials Were to Help Destroy The Menace In Lieu of Roman Catholic Aid In Campaign Against Appeal and Socialism! [left column] K of C NEWS PETER E. BURRESS SUES THE MENACE FOR LIBEL Asks Damages From Anti-Catholic Publication In Sum of One Hundred Thousand Dollars [sub-heads further down] The Skein Unwinds; Rome's Air Castles Fall; Disseminating Disease; Sample Copy Rates [illegible: the remaining columns of body text are not transcribed]
Transcribed from a 3000-pixel view of the page: masthead, counter box, emblems, banner headline, deck headline and the lead sub-heads. Body columns are not transcribed. The circulation figures add up as printed (569,714 + 12,317 - 7,186 = 574,845).
