American Party (Utah)
American Party | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1905 |
| Dissolved | 1911 |
| Preceded by | Politics of Utah |
The American Party was a political party in Utah from 1904 to 1911. It was designed to counter the influence of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in Utah politics and is often described as an anti-Mormon party.[1]
Creation
The American Party was founded in 1904 by supporters of
Salt Lake Tribune, former United States Senator Frank J. Cannon
also played an important promotional role for the party.
Activities
The party attracted a variety of non-Mormon, lapsed Mormon, and ex-
mayor of Salt Lake City, with fellow party members W. Mont Ferry, Arthur J. Davis, Lewis D. Martin, and Martin E. Mulvey elected as city councilors.[3] (Thompson had previously served as a Republican mayor of Salt Lake City from 1900 to 1903.) Thompson resigned in 1907 and he was replaced by new party leader John S. Bransford, who was re-elected in 1907 and was mayor until 1911.[3]
In 1908, the American Party ran
plural marriage and had no intention of abiding by the 1890 Manifesto.[4] The party also alleged that the LDS Church monopolized lines of business within Utah and that the state needed a more vigorous enforcement of the separation between church and state.[4]
In 1909, the party opposed a state bill that would have instituted Prohibition in Utah. The LDS Church did not formally support the prohibition bill, but many of its top leaders did.
Disbanding
The party, although reasonably successful for ten years, was disbanded after the 1911 elections in which the party performed disappointingly.[2]
See also
Notes
- ^ Nancy Capace, Encyclopedia of Utah (Somerset Publishers, 2001) p. 120
- ^ ISBN 978-0-87480-284-9) p. 162.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-252-02768-0) pp. 137–138.
- ^ a b c "Anti-Mormon State Ticket: American Party Charges that Polygamy is Still Practiced", The New York Times, 1908-09-30.
Political parties in Utah | ||
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| Major parties |  | |
| Ballot-qualified minor parties | ||
| Defunct parties |
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