James Robert Mann
Encyclopedia
James Robert Mann was an American
legislator and U.S. Representative
from Illinois
, 1897–1922. He was a member of the Republican
party, and served as House Minority Leader from 1911 to 1919.
, McLean County, Illinois
on October 20, 1856. Mann attended University of Illinois at Urbana 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.
His older brother was US Army general William Abram Mann
.
, 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." He was a leading opponent of the Harrison Act and Prohibition
, despite the popularity of such legislation amongst his fellow Midwestern progressives.
on November 30, 1922 at age 66 before the close of the 67th United States Congress
. He was interred in Oak Woods Cemetery
in Chicago.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
legislator and U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, 1897–1922. He was a member of the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
party, and served as House Minority Leader from 1911 to 1919.
Early life
James Robert Mann was born near BloomingtonBloomington, Illinois
Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States and the county seat. It is adjacent to Normal, Illinois, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
, McLean County, Illinois
McLean County, Illinois
McLean County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois. McLean County is included in the Bloomington–Normal, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 169,572, which is an increase of 12.7% from 150,433 in 2000. Its county seat is...
on October 20, 1856. Mann attended University of Illinois at Urbana and graduated in 1876. He graduated from Union College of Law
Northwestern University School of Law
The Northwestern University School of Law is a private American law school in Chicago, Illinois. The law school was founded in 1859 as the Union College of Law of the Old University of Chicago. The first law school established in Chicago, it became jointly controlled by Northwestern University in...
in 1881 and became a lawyer in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. Mann held several local political offices before serving in the House of Representatives.
His older brother was US Army general William Abram Mann
William Abram Mann
William Abram Mann was a general officer in the United States Army.Mann was born on July 31, 1854 in Altoona, Pennsylvania and graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1875, receiving a commission as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry....
.
Education
- Bloomington County public schools
- University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignThe University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
, graduated 1876 - Union College of LawNorthwestern University School of LawThe Northwestern University School of Law is a private American law school in Chicago, Illinois. The law school was founded in 1859 as the Union College of Law of the Old University of Chicago. The first law school established in Chicago, it became jointly controlled by Northwestern University in...
, Chicago, graduated 1881
Professional life
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 OaklandOakland, ChicagoOakland, located on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois, USA, is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas. Some of Chicago's great old homes maybe seen on Drexell Boulvard. 19th century women's rights and Jewish activist Hannah Greenebaum lived in Oakland. The late 19th century...
Board of Education in Chicago (1887) - Attorney for Hyde ParkHyde Park, ChicagoHyde Park, located on the South Side of the City of Chicago, in Cook County, Illinois, United States and seven miles south of the Chicago Loop, is a Chicago neighborhood and one of 77 Chicago community areas. It is home to the University of Chicago, the Hyde Park Art Center, the Museum of Science...
and the South Park commissioners of Chicago - Chairman of the Illinois State Republican convention (1894)
- Member of the City Council of ChicagoChicago City CouncilThe Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Chicago in Illinois. It consists of 50 aldermen elected from 50 wards to serve four-year terms...
(1892–1896) - Master in chanceryCourt of equityA chancery court, equity court or court of equity is a court that is authorized to apply principles of equity, as opposed to law, to cases brought before it.These courts began with petitions to the Lord Chancellor of England...
of the Superior CourtSuperior courtIn common law systems, a superior court is a court of general competence which typically has unlimited jurisdiction with regard to civil and criminal legal cases...
of Cook CountyCook County, IllinoisCook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than... - 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 ActMann-Elkins Act
The Mann–Elkins Act was a 1910 United States federal law that is among the Progressive era reforms. The Act extended the authority of the Interstate Commerce Commission to regulate the telecommunications industry, and designated telephone, telegraph and wireless companies as common...
, which gave more power to the Interstate Commerce Commission
Interstate Commerce Commission
The Interstate Commerce Commission was a regulatory body in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. The agency's original purpose was to regulate railroads to ensure fair rates, to eliminate rate discrimination, and to regulate other aspects of common carriers, including...
to regulate railroad rates. He is probably best known for his authorship of the Mann Act
Mann Act
The White-Slave Traffic Act, better known as the Mann Act, is a United States law, passed June 25, 1910 . It is named after Congressman James Robert Mann, and in its original form prohibited white slavery and the interstate transport of females for “immoral purposes”...
of 1910, which was a reaction to the "white slavery
Sexual slavery
Sexual slavery is when unwilling people are coerced into slavery for sexual exploitation. The incidence of sexual slavery by country has been studied and tabulated by UNESCO, with the cooperation of various international agencies...
" issue and prohibited transportation of women between states for purposes of prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
. He introduced legislation that became the Pure Food and Drugs Act
Pure Food and Drug Act
The Pure Food and Drug Act of June 30, 1906, is a United States federal law that provided federal inspection of meat products and forbade the manufacture, sale, or transportation of adulterated food products and poisonous patent medicines...
of 1906.
He was considered to be a leader in the cause of amending the United States Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
to grant suffrage to women
Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
. However, he was quoted as saying, "'They should have been at home where they belonged,' referring to the women in the pageant." He was a leading opponent of the Harrison Act and Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
, despite the popularity of such legislation amongst his fellow Midwestern progressives.
Death
Congressman Mann died in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
on November 30, 1922 at age 66 before the close of the 67th United States Congress
67th United States Congress
The Sixty-seventh United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1921 to March 4, 1923, during the first two years...
. He was interred in Oak Woods Cemetery
Oak Woods Cemetery
Oak Woods Cemetery was established in 1854; it covers an area of and is located at 1035 E. 67th Street in Chicago. The first burials took place in 1860. Soon after the American Civil War, between four and six thousand Confederate soldiers, prisoners who died at Camp Douglas, were buried here...
in Chicago.
Additional information
- 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