Six separate efforts, in 1849, 1856, 1862, 1872, 1882 and 1887, to gain Statehood were made by Utah. Each time a Constitutional Convention met, a Constitution was drawn up and a petition sent to the Federal Government. They were refused Statehood because of their polygamous practices. The U.S. Government had enacted legislation in 1862, 1882 and 1887 forbidding polygamy. Resist ance was made by the Mormons which resulted in fines, imprison ment, and, in the case of President Taylor, exile. Church property amounting to $100,000 was temporarily confiscated. Finally in 1890 the church yielded and refused henceforth to sanction plural marriage. The final movement for Statehood came from the U.S. Congress in 1893, when it passed the enabling act, one of the pro visions of which was that the Constitution of the new State should forever prohibit polygamous marriages. The Constitution was framed at a convention in 1895, submitted to the voters at the general election in November and approved. The proclamation of admission was signed by the President on Jan. 4, 1896. Utah came into the Union with a population of 207,905, property assessed at $97,942,000, 39 banks with deposits of $9,689,267, and 1,376 m. of railway in operation.
In national elections from 1900 on (except 1916) Utah voted consistently Republican. A sharp reversal of its attitude occurred
in 1932, when the State supported Mr. Roosevelt by a vote of 116,750 to 84,795 and elected a full Democratic ticket, even de feating for reelection the veteran Republican senator Smoot. The State voted for Roosevelt even more overwhelmingly in 1936, after having chosen a second Democratic senator in 1934.
studies of Utah include J. C. Alter, Utah, 3v. ; J. H. Evans, The Story of Utah (1933); Utah Department of Public Instruction, Utah—Resources and Activities (1933) ; Utah State Planning Board, Review of Industrial Movements in Utah (1935) • See also R. S. Strong, The Mineral Industry of Utah (1919) ; H. Gan nett, Gazetteer of Utah (ppoo) ; H. H. Bancroft, History of Utah (San Francisco, 189o) ; 0. F. Whitney, Popular History of Utah (Salt Lake City, 1916) ; N. Warrum (edit.), Utah since Statehood, Historical and Biographical (Chicago-Salt Lake, 1919) ; G. W. James, Utah the Land of Blossoming Valleys (Boston, 1922) ; L. E. Young, The Found ing of Utah (New York, 1923) ; M. R. Werner, Brigham Young (New York, 1925) ; B. H. Roberts, History of the Mormon Church (Ameri cana Magazine, vols. 4—To, New York, 1909-15) ; Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine (Salt Lake City, 1910-26). (G. E. F.)