.gif)
People's Party (Utah)
Encyclopedia
The People's Party was a political party
in Utah Territory
during the late 19th century. It was backed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and its newspaper, the Deseret News. It opposed Utah's Liberal Party
.
The People's Party emerged in 1870 in response to the non-Mormon Liberal Party. In fact, the initial slate of candidates for the 1870 Salt Lake City
election was approved on February 9 by Latter-day Saints who had swarmed into the first meeting of Liberals in order to hijack and disrupt it. Daniel H. Wells
, the incumbent mayor, easily won the first contested Salt Lake election 2301 to 321.
Previously, political candidates ran without party affiliation, and LDS candidates usually found themselves unopposed. With organized opposition to LDS candidates, the LDS leaders found having their own party expedient. Historian Ronald W. Walker
states that the party's name was selected to combat the notion that Brigham Young
, himself not an elected official since 1857, was a tyrant. The People's Party, as the name intentionally suggested, claimed to speak for the Latter-day Saints, vast majority of citizens, in Utah Territory.
, with the vote extended to women in the territory 1870, helped the party emphasize its strength. Most non-Mormons in the territory were men, often miners, so the People's Party gained a distinct advantage.
Throughout its history, People's Party candidates never lost a statewide election. Local elections were lost to the Liberals under dubious circumstances, such as with the "Tooele Republic
", and after harsh anti-polygamy legislation disqualified many LDS voters in the 1880s before the 1890 Manifesto
halted further LDS plural marriage
s.
and Republicans
competing against Liberal candidates, the Deseret News characterized Liberals as a "bastard party". One political ad asked rhetorically "what is he who votes for a bastard ticket?" Nonetheless, Liberals captured one third of seats in the territorial legislature.
Impetus for dissolving the party came from members of the national parties who believed the territory should follow national political lines before obtaining statehood
. The LDS Church could not favor either national party because the LDS majority in the state would make the preferred party into a new de facto People's Party. Two years later Liberals, also eager for statehood, followed suit, and Utah
became the 45th state in the Union on January 4, 1896.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Utah Territory
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
during the late 19th century. It was backed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and its newspaper, the Deseret News. It opposed Utah's Liberal Party
Liberal Party (Utah)
The Liberal Party, like the People's Party, flourished in Utah Territory as a local political party in the latter half of the 19th century—before Democrats and Republicans established themselves in Utah in the early 1890s....
.
Beginnings
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
election was approved on February 9 by Latter-day Saints who had swarmed into the first meeting of Liberals in order to hijack and disrupt it. Daniel H. Wells
Daniel H. Wells
Daniel Hanmer Wells was an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the third mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, United States....
, the incumbent mayor, easily won the first contested Salt Lake election 2301 to 321.
Previously, political candidates ran without party affiliation, and LDS candidates usually found themselves unopposed. With organized opposition to LDS candidates, the LDS leaders found having their own party expedient. Historian Ronald W. Walker
Ronald W. Walker
Ronald Warren Walker is a historian of the Latter Day Saint movement who was formerly a professor at Brigham Young University and president of the Mormon History Association.-Biography:...
states that the party's name was selected to combat the notion that Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
, himself not an elected official since 1857, was a tyrant. The People's Party, as the name intentionally suggested, claimed to speak for the Latter-day Saints, vast majority of citizens, in Utah Territory.
History of Success
With only a handful of defeats, the party was supported by an overwhelming majority in most elections. Championing the cause of Women's suffrageWomen's suffrage
Women's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
, with the vote extended to women in the territory 1870, helped the party emphasize its strength. Most non-Mormons in the territory were men, often miners, so the People's Party gained a distinct advantage.
Throughout its history, People's Party candidates never lost a statewide election. Local elections were lost to the Liberals under dubious circumstances, such as with the "Tooele Republic
Tooele County, Utah
Tooele County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000, the population was 40,735 and by 2005 was estimated at 51,311. Its county seat and largest city is Tooele....
", and after harsh anti-polygamy legislation disqualified many LDS voters in the 1880s before the 1890 Manifesto
1890 Manifesto
The "1890 Manifesto", sometimes simply called "The Manifesto", is a statement which officially disavowed the continuing practice of plural marriage in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
halted further LDS plural marriage
Plural marriage
Polygamy was taught by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than half of the 19th century, and practiced publicly from 1852 to 1890.The Church's practice of polygamy has been highly controversial, both within...
s.
Dissolution
The party disbanded in June 1891 prior to elections for territorial legislature. Members joined the two national parties, with LDS leaders striving to direct equal numbers toward each party. With LDS DemocratsDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
and Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
competing against Liberal candidates, the Deseret News characterized Liberals as a "bastard party". One political ad asked rhetorically "what is he who votes for a bastard ticket?" Nonetheless, Liberals captured one third of seats in the territorial legislature.
Impetus for dissolving the party came from members of the national parties who believed the territory should follow national political lines before obtaining statehood
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
. The LDS Church could not favor either national party because the LDS majority in the state would make the preferred party into a new de facto People's Party. Two years later Liberals, also eager for statehood, followed suit, and Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
became the 45th state in the Union on January 4, 1896.