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Utahs Struggle for Statehood

Soon after the first Mormon pioneers arrived in Utah, they had the goal of
overcoming their inferior territorial status by gaining statehood. Statehood was
considered crucial to independence in local affairs, with state officers chosen and
answerable to the voters in Utah, rather than where officials were outsiders
appointed by the federal government, as was the case with territorial government.
Territories are also not allowed to vote in the House of Representatives or the
Senate. They are not allowed to vote in national elections. For example, people
who currently live in territories were not allowed to vote in the presidential
election. When a country expands its borders the new area is usually a territory for
a short period of time and will then become a state once its population is big
enough. But in some cases there are complications that delay the process of
statehood.

Proposed State of Deseret 1849-50

The first attempt at statehood in 1849-50 aimed to persuade Congress to admit
the so-called state of Deseret, stretching from the Colorado Rockies to the Sierra
Nevada Mountains. The nation's lawmakers, however, were not inclined to grant
the Mormons control over such a vast domain, especially without the 60,000
eligible voters required for an area to be admitted as a state.

2nd, 3rd & 4th attempt at Statehood

Undaunted, Mormon leaders sponsored a second attempt at statehood in
1856, sending Congress a draft of a constitution for a state much more limited in
size. Similarly, a third effort in 1862 was not given serious consideration by a
Congress then in the process of prohibiting plural marriage by federal statute.
When another movement for Utah's admission into the union was mounted
in 1876 its sponsors essentially disregarded recent warnings from visiting federal
executive and legislative leaders that statehood was not possible so long as plural
marriage continued to be condoned and practiced in Utah.
Similarly, most members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
placed their highest value on "following counsel," in virtually all matters relating to
their church-centered lives. Thus they appeared to be in direct opposition to the
longstanding American principle of the separation of church and state.

5th & 6th attempt at Statehood

In the mid-1880s, with the coming of the Democratic administration, church
leaders hoped at least for a more humane administration of the laws. And, in fact,
Cleveland, who was the newly elected president, began to fill the Utah territorial
positions with men committed to ease the long standing tensions. More
importantly, church emissaries succeeded in establishing an understanding with
President Cleveland and some of his closest advisor. A sixth attempt at statehood
was launched in 1887, which featured a constitutional clause prohibiting polygamy.
However, the statehood attempt ran into a Congress far less willing to cooperate
with the Utah admission scheme unless Mormon leaders were willing to commit
themselves more specifically against polygamy. Since church authorities refused
such concessions at the time, this elaborate attempt at statehood met the same
fate as its predecessors.
Part of the negotiations that led to that discussion being tabled was an
understanding that some change would soon come from the church's stance
regarding plural marriage. The Woodruff Manifesto was announced a few months
later. This announcement told people that the church would not advocate new
plural marriages, or polygamy, in defiance of the laws of the United States. The
church could no longer be regarded as standing in the way of Utah statehood.
After the issue of polygamy was addressed, the other major obstacle to Utah's
admission was the bloc-voting tendencies of the Mormons. Political advisors from
both major parties advised that Utah would not be given statehood until normal
political voting patterns were achieved. This change took place with amazing
speed in 1891. The Mormon People's party was quietly disbanded, and church

members were encouraged to join the recently organized Democrat and

Republican parties in Utah.

Final attempt at Statehood

In the final struggles in Congress, it was the Democrats who appeared hesitant to
grant the long-sought goal. Recent Utah territorial elections had gone against
them, and with the national legislature so closely balanced, they were reluctant to
grant two new Senate seats to the rival party, the Republicans. In the final
compromise allowing the Utah enabling act, passed in July 1894, it was stipulated
that Utah not be admitted until after the current congressional term. Thus
statehood did not arrive until 4 January 1896, after a half-century of struggle.
1.

How many times did Utah apply for Statehood?

2.

Why did the people in Utah want to become a state instead of a territory?

3.

What were the two main reasons for Utah being denied statehood?

4.

What announcement led to the end of Mormon support of polygamy?

5.
What was the name of the major political party that existed in Utah before
the Republican and Democratic parties?

6.

How long has Utah been a state?