tention and interest not to admit to Statehood a Territory whose two Senators would be
Republican and change the balance of power in the Senate. In addition to this, some
of the most powerful men in the Senate were opposed personally to the admission of Utah or any other western States. I should have said further back in this letter that
all the time one of the most powerful elements we have had to contend against was the
eastern prejudice against the admission of any more western States, and especially of
any more silver States. The gold people of the East realize the danger to them of more
power going to the West and to the silver States. We have had constantly to combat this
influence, especially amongst all New England Members of Congress, both House and Senate,
and all the New York Members and all the Pennsylvania. Senator Hill of New York, the
most powerful Democrat in the Senate, came here in deadly hostility to the admission of
Utah or any more western States, and sought a place on the Territorial Committee in order
to make his opposition effective and in order more securely to guard the East against
what they considered the danger of the admission of more silver States and Senators. In
furtherance of this program of Senator Hill's he also had himself placed upon the sub-
committee of the Territorial Committee, together with Chairman Faulkner and Senator Platt
Faulkner a former undoubted friend but changed into secret opposition by the secret or-
ders of his party, and the latter the longtime enemy of Utah who the Democrats supposed
would continue that enmity and who could be used as a public scapegoat for the secret
Democratic opposition. Senator Gorman, the most influential Democratic members of the
Senate and the guardian of the party's interest, was also actuated by this fear and be-
lief that Utah would be Republican, and also by the eastern prejudice against western
or silver States. We found also as events developed not only this prejudice amongst
the eastern or gold States, but also a still more dangerous prejudice in the southern
States against the admission of any more western Territories on the ground that they
would become northern States and therefore help to decrease the power of the South.
Thus we had the dangerous opposition of the mercenary interests of all the eastern
States and of the political ambition of all the southern States, which, as you know,
are so covetous of power for the South in the government. In the face of the develop-
tention and interest not to admit to Statehood a Territory whose two Senators would be
Republican and change the balance of power in the Senate. In addition to this, some
of the most powerful men in the Senate were opposed personally to the admission of
Utah or any other western States. I should have said further back in this letter that
all the time one of the most powerful elements we have had to contend against was the
eastern prejudice against the admission of any more western States, and especially of
any more silver States. The gold people of the East realize the danger to them of more
power going to the West and to the silver States. We have had constantly to combat this
influence, especially amongst all New England Members of Congress, both House and Senate,
and all the New York Members and all the Pennsylvania. Senator Hill of New York, the
most powerful Democrat in the Senate, came here in deadly hostility to the admission of
Utah or any more western States, and sought a place on the Territorial Committee in order
to make his opposition effective and in order more securely to guard the East against
what they considered the danger of the admission of more silver States and Senators. In
furtherance of this program of Senator Hill's he also had himself placed upon the subcommittee of the Territorial Committee, together with Chairman Faulkner and Senator Platt
Faulkner a former undoubted friend but changed into secret opposition by the secret orders of his party, and the latter the longtime enemy of Utah who the Democrats supposed
would continue that enmity and who could be used as a public scapegoat for the secret
Democratic opposition. Senator Gorman, the most influential Democratic member of the
Senate and the guardian of the party's interest, was also actuated by this fear and belief that Utah would be Republican, and also by the eastern prejudice against western
or silver States. We found also as events developed not only this prejudice amongst
the eastern or gold States, but also a still more dangerous prejudice in the southern
States against the admission of any more western Territories on the ground that they
would become northern States and therefore help to decrease the power of the South.
Thus we had the dangerous opposition of the mercenary interests of all the eastern
States and of the political ambition of all the southern States, which, as you know,
are so covetous of power for the South in the government. In the face of the develop-
"Letter from James Sullivan Clarkson, 11 July 1894," p. 19, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, accessed September 8, 2024, https://wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/p/QvgG