James Beauchamp Clark
Encyclopedia
James Beauchamp Clark best known as Champ Clark (March 7, 1850 – March 2, 1921) was a prominent American
politician
in the Democratic Party
from the 1890s until his death. A Representative of Missouri from 1893 to 1895 and from 1897 to 1921, he served as the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
from 1911 to 1919. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination for President
in 1912.
, to John Hampton Clark and Aletha Beauchamp. Through his mother he was the first cousin twice removed of the famous lawyer
turned murderer Jereboam O. Beauchamp
. He graduated from Bethany College (West Virginia)
, and Cincinnati Law School and moved to Missouri
in 1875, and opened a law practice the following year. He eventually settled in Bowling Green, Missouri
, the county seat of Pike County
, from where he was elected to the United States House of Representatives
in 1892. After a surprise loss in 1894 to William M. Treloar
, he regained the seat in 1896, and remained in the House until his death, the day before leaving office.
Clark ran for House Minority Leader
in 1903, but was defeated by John Sharp Williams
of Mississippi. After Williams ran for the Senate in 1908, Clark ran again for the position and won. When the Democrats won control of the House in 1911, Clark became Speaker
.
In 1912, Clark was the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination, coming into the convention with a majority of delegates pledged to him. But he failed to receive the necessary two-thirds of the vote on the first several ballots. After lengthy negotiation, clever management by supporters of New Jersey
Governor Woodrow Wilson
, together with widespread allegations of influence by special interests, delivered the nomination instead to Wilson.
Clark's Speakership was notable for two things: First, Clark's skill from 1910 to 1914 in maintaining party unity to block William Howard Taft
's legislation and then pass Wilson's; and second, Clark's splitting of the party in 1917 and 1918 when he opposed Wilson's decision to bring the United States
into World War I
.
In addition, Clark opposed the Federal Reserve Act
, which concentrated financial power in the hands of eastern banks (mostly centered in New York City). Clark's opposition to the Federal Reserve Act is said to be the reason why Missouri is the home of two Federal Reserve Banks (one in St. Louis and one in Kansas City).
Clark was defeated in the Republican landslide of 1920, and died shortly thereafter in his home in Washington, DC.
Clark's son Joel Bennett Clark
served as a United States Senator from Missouri
from 1933 to 1945.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
from the 1890s until his death. A Representative of Missouri from 1893 to 1895 and from 1897 to 1921, he served as the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...
from 1911 to 1919. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination for President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
in 1912.
Biography
Clark was born in Lawrenceburg, KentuckyLawrenceburg, Kentucky
Lawrenceburg is a city in Anderson County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 10,505 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Anderson County...
, to John Hampton Clark and Aletha Beauchamp. Through his mother he was the first cousin twice removed of the famous lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
turned murderer Jereboam O. Beauchamp
Jereboam O. Beauchamp
Jereboam Orville Beauchamp was an American lawyer who murdered the Kentucky legislator Solomon P. Sharp, an event known as the Beauchamp–Sharp Tragedy. In 1821, Sharp was accused of fathering the illegitimate stillborn child of a woman named Anna Cooke. Sharp denied paternity of the child, and...
. He graduated from Bethany College (West Virginia)
Bethany College (West Virginia)
Bethany College is a private liberal arts college located in Bethany, West Virginia, United States. Founded in 1840, Bethany is the oldest institution of Higher Education in West Virginia.-Location:...
, and Cincinnati Law School and moved to Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
in 1875, and opened a law practice the following year. He eventually settled in Bowling Green, Missouri
Bowling Green, Missouri
Bowling Green is a city in Pike County, Missouri, United States. The population was 3,260 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Pike County.Ameren's Peno Creek Power Plant, a combustion turbine generator power plant, is located in Bowling Green....
, the county seat of Pike County
Pike County, Missouri
As of the census of 2010, there were 18,516 people, 6,451 households, and 4,476 families residing in the county. The population density was 27 people per square mile . There were 7,493 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile...
, from where he was elected to the United States House of Representatives
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...
in 1892. After a surprise loss in 1894 to William M. Treloar
William M. Treloar
William Mitchellson Treloar was an American music professor, composer, music publisher, and U.S. Representative from Missouri....
, he regained the seat in 1896, and remained in the House until his death, the day before leaving office.
Clark ran for House Minority Leader
Minority leader of the United States House of Representatives
The House Minority Leader is one of the party leaders of the United States House of Representatives. This title is currently held by Democratic Representative Nancy Pelosi of California....
in 1903, but was defeated by John Sharp Williams
John Sharp Williams
John Sharp Williams was a prominent American politician in the Democratic Party from the 1890s through the 1920s, and served as the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives from 1903 to 1908....
of Mississippi. After Williams ran for the Senate in 1908, Clark ran again for the position and won. When the Democrats won control of the House in 1911, Clark became Speaker
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...
.
In 1912, Clark was the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination, coming into the convention with a majority of delegates pledged to him. But he failed to receive the necessary two-thirds of the vote on the first several ballots. After lengthy negotiation, clever management by supporters of New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
Governor Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
, together with widespread allegations of influence by special interests, delivered the nomination instead to Wilson.
Clark's Speakership was notable for two things: First, Clark's skill from 1910 to 1914 in maintaining party unity to block William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
's legislation and then pass Wilson's; and second, Clark's splitting of the party in 1917 and 1918 when he opposed Wilson's decision to bring the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
into World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
In addition, Clark opposed the Federal Reserve Act
Federal Reserve Act
The Federal Reserve Act is an Act of Congress that created and set up the Federal Reserve System, the central banking system of the United States of America, and granted it the legal authority to issue Federal Reserve Notes and Federal Reserve Bank Notes as legal tender...
, which concentrated financial power in the hands of eastern banks (mostly centered in New York City). Clark's opposition to the Federal Reserve Act is said to be the reason why Missouri is the home of two Federal Reserve Banks (one in St. Louis and one in Kansas City).
Clark was defeated in the Republican landslide of 1920, and died shortly thereafter in his home in Washington, DC.
Clark's son Joel Bennett Clark
Bennett Champ Clark
Joel Bennett Clark , better known as Bennett Champ Clark, was a Democratic United States Senator from Missouri from 1933 until 1945, and was later a United States federal judge.-Biography:...
served as a United States Senator from Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
from 1933 to 1945.
External links
- James Beauchamp Clark at Find A GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...
- James Beauchamp Clark article from the Crystal Reference Encyclopedia (former Cambridge Encyclopedia for Cambridge University Press)
- James Beauchamp Clark's Signature on the 17th Amendment to the constitution Image of original document