James Robert Mann (Illinois politician)

James Robert Mann (October 20, 1856 – November 30, 1922) was an American politician and attorney who served as a member of the U.S. Representative for Illinois from 1897 to 1922. He was a member of the Republican party, and served as House Minority Leader from 1911 to 1919.[1]

James Robert Mann
House Minority Leader
In office
March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1919
Preceded byChamp Clark
Succeeded byChamp Clark
Leader of the
House Republican Conference
In office
March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1919
Preceded byJoseph Gurney Cannon
Succeeded byFrederick H. Gillett
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois
In office
March 4, 1897 – November 30, 1922
Preceded byJ. Frank Aldrich
Succeeded byMorton D. Hull
Constituency1st district (1897–1903)
2nd district (1903–22)
Chicago Alderman from the 32nd Ward
In office
1892–1896
Personal details
Born(1856-10-20)October 20, 1856
Bloomington, Illinois
DiedNovember 30, 1922(1922-11-30) (aged 66)
Washington, D.C.
Political partyRepublican
EducationUniversity of Illinois at Urbana
Union College of Law
James Mann (right) with Speaker of the House Champ Clark.
1911–1919

Early life and education

James Robert Mann was born near Bloomington, McLean County, Illinois on October 20, 1856. His older brother was Frank Irving Mann (1854-1937) farmer, editor of the Prairie Farmer news publication, and author of The Farmers Creed.

Mann attended University of Illinois and graduated in 1876. He graduated from Union College of Law in 1881 and became a lawyer in Chicago. Mann held several local political offices before serving in the House of Representatives.

Career

He was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1881 and commenced his practice in Chicago. He held several local offices before being elected as a congressman:

  • Member of the Oakland Board of Education in Chicago (1887)
  • Attorney for Hyde Park and the South Park commissioners of Chicago
  • Chairman of the Illinois State Republican convention (1894)
  • Member of the City Council of Chicago (1892–1896)
  • Master in chancery of the Superior Court of Cook County
  • Chairman of the Republican county conventions at Chicago (1895, 1902)
  • Elected as Republican (1896) to the 55th Congress with 13 successive terms

Service in the House
  • Chairman, Committee on Elections No. 1 (58th – 60th Congresses)
  • Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce (61st Congress)
  • Committee on Women Suffrage (66th Congress)
  • Minority Leader (62nd – 65th Congresses)

Notable legislation

Congressman Mann was one of the sponsors of the Mann-Elkins Act, which gave more power to the Interstate Commerce Commission to regulate railroad rates. He is probably best known for his authorship of the Mann Act of 1910, which was a reaction to the "white slavery" issue and prohibited transportation of women between states for purposes of prostitution. He introduced legislation that became the Pure Food and Drugs Act of 1906.

He was considered to be a leader in the cause of amending the United States Constitution to grant suffrage to women. However, he was quoted as saying, "'They should have been at home where they belonged,' referring to the women in the pageant."[2] He was a leading opponent of the Harrison Act and Prohibition, despite the popularity of such legislation amongst his fellow Midwestern progressives.

Death

Mann died in Washington, D.C. of pneumonia on November 30, 1922 at age 66 before the close of the 67th United States Congress.[1] He was interred in Oak Woods Cemetery in Chicago.

See also

References
  1. "James R. Mann Dies in Washington Home After Week's Illness, Ending in Pneumonia". New York Times. December 1, 1922. Retrieved 2014-08-04. Representative James R. Mann of Illinois, for nearly twenty-six years a member of the House, and during most of that time a leader of the Republican Party, died at his home here at 11:15 o'clock tonight.
  2. https://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/0112.html#article

Further reading
  • Ellis, L. Ethan. "James Robert Mann: Legislator Extraordinary". Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society 46 (Spring 1953): 28–44.
  • Extended bibliography – United States Congress website

Media related to James Robert Mann (Illinois) at Wikimedia Commons

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress document: "MANN, James Robert".

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
J. Frank Aldrich		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 1st congressional district
1897–1903		 Succeeded by
Martin Emerich
Preceded by
John J. Feely		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 2nd congressional district
1903–1922		 Succeeded by
Morton D. Hull
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