1895 Utah gubernatorial election

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1895 Utah gubernatorial election
US flag 45 stars.svg
November 5, 1895 1900  
  Heber Wells (Utah Governor).jpg John Thomas Caine.jpg
Nominee Heber M. Wells John T. Caine
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote20,83318,519
Percentage50.32%44.73%

1895 Utah gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County results
Wells:     50–60%     60–70%     80–90%
Caine:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%

Elected Governor

Heber Manning Wells
Republican

The 1895 Utah gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1895. It was the first gubernatorial election in the state of Utah and it was held before it became a state on the 4th of January, 1896, to set up the machinery for the new state. Republican Heber M. Wells defeated Democratic nominee John T. Caine with 50.32% of the vote. Wells' first term was to run for five years, until the next general election in 1900. Populist Henry W. Lawrence also ran, but only won 4.95% of the vote.

Contents

Background

The Utah Territory had been granted statehood after a constitutional convention was held between March 4, 1895, to May 8, 1895. [1] The territory had applied for statehood multiple times before, but the practice of polygamy among the Mormon population was one of the main reasons the federal government refused the proposals. [2] In 1890, the LDS church banned the practice of polygamy in a new manifesto, paving the way for statehood. [3] In 1892, Utah's non-voting representative Joseph L. Rawlins worked with Republicans and Democrats in congress to pass the Enabling Act, signed by the President Grover Cleveland in 1894, which allowed for the state to organize another constitutional convention for statehood the following year. [4] [5] After a constitution was approved by Utah's delegates, statewide elections were held in November in preparation for statehood on January 4, 1896.

Heber Manning Wells, a delegate to the Utah constitutional convention, and a previous tax collector and city recorder, ran for the Republican nomination against the party's chair Charles Crane and former territorial governor Arthur L. Thomas, and won. [6] The Ogden Daily Standard reported that Crane was "defeated by those whom he trusted; by those in whom he believed; by those whom he had honored;..." As for Thomas, the Standard stated that he "...laid on the slaughter blocks and [got] completely annihilated. In fact he was not even considered as a possible candidate." [7] John Thomas Caine, a former congressman who was instrumental in guiding Utah towards statehood, while also protecting the rights of polygamous Mormons, [8] won the Democratic nomination.

The race centered on both men's personality, with Wells being seen as young, intelligent, progressive, and able to bring a fresh face for the new state, but was criticized for being inexperienced and attached to allegations about state Republican financial issues. Caine was seen as experienced, but being from the now old territory era, and being of older age, hurt him. [9] [10] The Salt Lake Tribune (in favor of Wells) and the Salt Lake Herald-Republican (in favor of Caine) both engaged in mud slinging against each other, and both believed it would either be a Republican or Democratic year before election day. [11] [12] Ultimately, it would be a Republican year, with Wells winning against Caine with 50.32% of the vote against his 44.73%, and Republicans taking control of the state legislature. [13]

General election

Candidates

Results

1895 Utah gubernatorial election [14] [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Heber M. Wells 20,833 50.32%
Democratic John T. Caine 18,51944.73%
Populist Henry W. Lawrence2,0514.95%
Total votes41,403 100.00%
Majority2,3145.59%
Republican gain from Democratic

Results by county

County [14] [15] Heber M. Wells
Republican
John T. Caine
Demcoratic
Henry W. Lawrence
Populist
MarginTotal votes cast
# %# %# %# %
Beaver 40457.22%30042.49%20.28%10414.73%706
Box Elder 72852.19%66347.53%40.29%654.66%1,395
Cache 1,26643.30%1,62655.61%321.09%-360-12.31%2,924
Carbon 30165.15%15533.55%61.30%14631.60%462
Davis 42439.11%60455.72%565.17%-180-16.61%1,084
Emery 31544.18%38153.44%172.38%-66-9.26%713
Garfield 25654.70%21245.30%00.00%449.40%468
Grand 13976.80%3117.13%116.08%10859.67%181
Iron 30755.42%24744.58%00.00%6010.83%554
Juab 70354.12%45635.10%14010.78%24719.01%1,299
Kane 16866.67%8433.33%00.00%8433.33%252
Millard 53659.96%35039.15%80.89%18620.81%894
Morgan 21353.25%17644.00%112.75%379.25%400
Piute 16150.63%13542.45%226.92%268.18%318
Rich 15946.90%17952.80%10.29%-20-5.90%339
Salt Lake 5,22850.38%4,11839.68%1,0319.94%1,11010.70%10,377
San Juan 3738.14%5859.79%22.06%-21-21.65%97
Sanpete 1,55952.54%1,39046.85%180.61%1695.70%2,967
Sevier 67954.54%55944.90%70.56%1209.64%1,245
Summit 1,23854.92%83537.05%1818.03%40317.88%2,254
Tooele 53060.30%33337.88%161.82%19722.41%879
Uintah 18132.15%24543.52%13724.33%-64-11.37%563
Utah 2,54148.95%2,54449.01%1062.04%-3-0.06%5,191
Wasatch 36445.56%43153.94%40.50%-67-8.39%799
Washington 22530.49%51069.11%30.41%-285-38.62%738
Wayne 12340.73%17858.94%10.33%-55-18.21%302
Weber 2,04851.17%1,71942.95%2355.87%3298.22%4,002
Total20,83350.32%18,51944.73%2,0514.95%2,3145.59%41,403

Aftermath

While opponents in the election, Wells and Caine would both end up being buried in Salt Lake City Cemetery. Wells's headstone is just several yards away from Caine's oval headstone. (Caine's oval-top headstone is the one in the center-left background of the photo) Photo of the headstone for Heber Manning Wells+ John T. Cain.jpg
While opponents in the election, Wells and Caine would both end up being buried in Salt Lake City Cemetery. Wells's headstone is just several yards away from Caine's oval headstone. (Caine's oval-top headstone is the one in the center-left background of the photo)

Wells's first term would be dominated by setting up the new state's foundations and systems. In the legislature's first session, which lasted 90 days, 60 bills were sent to Wells to sign, many dealing with the basic organization of state courts and offices, election reform (including the secret ballot), and codification of laws. Wells also wanted railroad regulation, but his proposal was rejected. In 1897, he would also establish the state's first laws dealing with irrigation and water rights. [6]

See also

References

  1. "Utah Constitutional Convention". le.utah.gov. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  2. "The Path to Utah Statehood | American Experience". www.pbs.org. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  3. "Deseret Evening News | 1890-09-25 | Page 2 | Official Declaration". newspapers.lib.utah.edu. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  4. "Constitutional Convention (1895) Records and Dockets | Utah Division of Archives and Records Service". archives.utah.gov. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  5. White, Jean (April 11, 2011). The Utah State Constitution. Oxford. pp. 11–42. ISBN   9780199779284.
  6. 1 2 "Heber Manning Wells | History to Go". historytogo.utah.gov. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  7. "Ogden Daily Standard | 1895-08-29 | Page 2 | Hon, Chas Crane". newspapers.lib.utah.edu. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  8. Roderick, Judith (1959). "A Historical Study of the Congressional Career, John T. Caine". Theses and Dissertations: 128–129.
  9. "Salt Lake Herald-Republican | 1895-09-21 | Page 1 | Wells Will Grow Weak". newspapers.lib.utah.edu. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  10. "Salt Lake Tribune | 1895-11-05 | Page 4 | Hon. Heber M. Wells". newspapers.lib.utah.edu. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  11. "Salt Lake Tribune | 1895-11-05 | Page 1". newspapers.lib.utah.edu. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  12. "Salt Lake Herald-Republican | 1895-10-10 | Page 4 | This is a Democratic Year". newspapers.lib.utah.edu. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  13. "Salt Lake Tribune | 1895-11-07 | Page 1". newspapers.lib.utah.edu. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  14. 1 2 Utah State Archives, Canvass of Returns of the Election held on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 1895 for State Officers in the Several Counties of Utah Territory
  15. 1 2 "The Salt Lake Herald". Full Returns For State Officers By Counties. December 5, 1895. Retrieved March 31, 2025.