This Carrollton lawyer and area judge served locally in minor political roles until 1897, when he was elected to the U. S. House of Representatives. He continued as a representative for almost 30 years, when he retired and returned to his small town law practice. Adamson is best remembered today for the Adamson Act, which gave railway workers an eight-hour day at a ten-hour rate and secured time and a half for overtime. These would eventually become the standard for all workers.