Women's suffrage in Utah

Political and social climate

As Utah Territory grew, the Mormon church's influence over the territory increased. Polygamy, at the time, was a common practice for the Mormons and the United States Congress was concerned about the growing population and power of the Mormons. A New York suffragist, Hamilton Wilcox, proposed testing women suffrage in the territories in 1867, specifically in Utah because of the large population of females and as a "fringe benefit, the Mormon system of plural wives would be eliminated." The New York Times circulated the idea saying women enfranchisement in Utah could possibly end polygamy. Congressman George Washington Julian in 1869 attempted to pass legislature to enfranchise women in western territories. His bill was entitled A Bill to Discourage Polygamy in Utah.^[1] Neither of the bills led to new laws, although, these ideas suggested Congress had the power to eradicate the practice of polygamy.^[2]

The first talk of women suffrage within Utah was from William S. Godbe, Edward W. Tullidge, and E.L.T. Harrison, Mormon liberals, who published the Utah Magazine which eventually became the Salt Lake Tribune. These liberal men wanted the Mormon church to work with groups outside of itself to promote manufacturing and mining. The Godbe movement also encouraged women's rights activities. Later on, the Deseret News would often credit the Godbe movement with the first push for the enfranchisement of women. The Godbe movement helped organize the first territory meeting on women suffrage with Eastern suffragists. Charlotte Godbe, one of William S. Godbe's four wives, pushed for suffrage. When Godbe was excommunicated his wives left the Mormon church, all except Charlotte Godbe. Though she was shunned by Mormon society for her husband's excommunication, Charlotte continued to promote women's rights as a representative of the Mormon church. She often worked alone.^[2]

As polygamous talk increased within the United States, Anna Elizabeth Dickinson, a woman suffragist toured the United States giving speeches about the degrading effect polygamy had on Mormon women.^[3] Within Utah Territory, Sarah Ann Cooke and Jennie Anderson Froiseth founded the Anti-Polygamy Society in response to the Carrie Owen case.^[4] Their goal "to fight to the death that system which so enslaves and degrades our sex, and which robs them of so much happiness." Polygamy was a sensational topic through the United States and many people outside of Utah territory were convinced that with the right to vote Mormon women would put an end to polygamy.^[5]

Acquiring suffrage

The Chairman of the House and Committee on territories, Shelby M. Cullom, in 1869 sponsored a bill to enforce the 1862 Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act. The bill would increase federal authority over Utah Territory and prevent polygamists from holding public office.^[6] Mormon women heavily protested the bill, rallying together in Salt Lake City to protest Cullom's legislation. In an effort to control the rumors and opinions of Mormon women the Utah Legislative Authority considered the enfranchisement of women in Utah territory. After two weeks by unanimous vote, the Utah Legislature passed a bill enfranchising women. To delegate William Henry Hooper the reason for enfranchisement was, "To convince the country how utterly without foundation the popular assertions were concerning the women of the Territory, some members of the Legislative Assembly were in favor of passing the law". Acting governor of Utah Territory, S. A. Mann, signed the law on February 12, 1870.^[7] Women above the age of twenty-one were now allowed to vote in Utah Territory although their enfranchisement had little to do with female involvement.^[2]

Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton of the National Woman Suffrage Association visited Utah in June of 1871 to observe the suffrage experiment with an the invitation from Charlotte Godbe. Charlotte Godbe wanted Anthony and Stanton to see the positive impact of enfranchisement in Utah Territory. The two national suffragists lectured at the "Liberal Institute."^[8] Then later spoke at the old tabernacle on Temple Square where Stanton presented the National Woman Suffrage Association's (NWSA) views on equal rights to the women of Mormonism. During this lecture, Stanton counseled the Mormon women to focus on "quality rather than quantity" when raising and bearing children. Stanton also advised bearing a child only once every five years. After this lecture, Stanton was not allowed to speak on Mormon podiums again.^[2][9]

The Women's Exponent

The Women's Exponent was founded in 1872 with Lula Greene Richards as its first editor. Emmeline B. Wells would become the exponent's next editor and publisher in 1875. The paper's purpose was to communicate with women of the Mormon church and to provide an accurate representation of Mormon women to the rest of America. The paper defended polygamy until the practice was renounced by President Wilford Woodruff in 1890. Women's rights was a continued topic in the Women's Exponent strongly in favor of equal pay and suffrage. When women were again denied the vote in 1879 Emmeline B. Wells changed the subtitle of the newspaper to "The Rights of the Women of Zion, and the Rights of the Women of all Nations" until 1897 when women regained the right to vote. After the enfranchisement of Utah women the subtitle was changed to "The Ballot in the Hands of the Women of Utah should be a Power to better the Home, the State and the Nation."^[10]

The Anti-Polygamy Standard

The Anti-Polygamy Standard was published in 1880 by Jennie Anderson Froiseth. The paper told the stories of women in polygamous marriages. It also provided more information on polygamy for the rest of the United States. The standard informed the public that woman suffrage was used by the Mormons to have an even larger majority over the non-Mormons of the Territory. Although Jennie Anderson Froiseth believed strongly in rights for women she was concerned with the polygamous activity of the Mormons. She believed Mormon women should not be allowed to vote until polygamy was outlawed. Froiseth published The Women of Mormonism; Or, the story of polygamy as told by the victims themselves during the three year span of The Anti-Polygamy Standard.^[11] Froiseth's book told a different side of polygamy by the women manipulated and forced into polygamous marriages. She wanted women from all over the United States to know what was occurring to women in Utah Territory.^[12] She traveled around the United States giving lectures on the harm polygamy causes. Froiseth eventually became the vice president of the Utah Women's Suffrage Association in 1888.^[13]

Women's suffrage is revoked

One of the provisions of the Edmunds–Tucker Act in 1887 was the repeal of women's suffrage. The opposition of the majority of Utahans to this act was secured by a provision that required a test oath against polygamy. This was broad enough to include the majority of Mormons who were not directly involved in polygamy. All who would not swear this test oath were ineligible to vote, serve on juries, or hold most other government offices. Belva Lockwood represented the National Woman Suffrage Association in lobbying congress to defend Utah women's right to vote.^[14]

Emily S. Richards, in 1888, created the Utah suffrage association which was associated with the National Woman Suffrage Association. Richards, with the support of the LDS church, assigned major roles to LDS women not involved in polygamous marriages. She organized subgroups of the association within the territory with many local units created by Relief Societies.^[15] The women of Utah by wanted their suffrage back. However, the factions struggled to agree, the Mormon church and its offshoot the Godbe movement struggled for common ground. Both factions still had many members in polygamous marriages. Then another group of people living in Utah territory with nothing to do with the Mormon religion.^[16]

The Women's Exponent became the unofficial publication promoting suffrage within the territory.^[16]

As Utah Territory was working towards statehood, women pushed to become enfranchised again and have the ability to hold office. The topic was given to the Attorney-General. A test-case was brought to a judge in Ogden, H.W. Smith, who decided women should be able to vote. However, because the Edmunds-Tucker Act had not been repealed the Supreme Court of the territory rejected the lower courts decision. For women to become enfranchised the right to vote would have to be ratified in Utah's State Constitution.^[9]

Impact on Mormon polygamy