James R. Mann's Apprenticeship in the House of Representatives, 1897-1908

Abstract

James R. Mann of Chicago served as chairman of the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce (1909-1911), then as Republican Minority Leader in the House of Representatives (1911-1918). He contributed importantly to Republican revival after the party schism of 1912. In the period 1897 to 1908, Mann served his apprenticeship, demonstrating the knowledge, acuity and strong work habits that led to his elevation in the House and the Republican party. He involved himself with railroad regulation and Panama Canal legislation, but the most important law that Mann helped to shape and steer to adoption was the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906. A conservative, Mann nevertheless accommodated to the progressive policies of President Theodore Roosevelt. At the same time, he was loyal to the more conservative Speaker of the House, Joseph Cannon. Ever-present on the House floor, Mann assisted Cannon in screening minor bills and earned the titles "The Great Objector" and "Watchdog of the Treasury." Cannon, in turn, contributed to his rise.