CLARK, Champ, American statesman: b. Lawrenceburgh, Anderson County, Ky., 7 March 1850. In his own biography he gives his early life: ((Worked as a hired hand, clerked in a country store, edited a country newspaper and finally practised law.)) He was graduated at Bethany College A.B. 1873, and at the Cin cinnati Law School LL.B. 1875. He was pres ident of Marshall College, West Virginia, 1873 74; was admitted to the Missouri bar in 1875, and practised in Bowling Green, Mo., from 1880. He was city attorney of Louisiana, Mo., and Bowling Green, Mo., 1878-81; presidential elector in 1880; prosecuting attorney in Pike County, Mo., 1885-89; representative in the State legislature of Missouri, 1889-91; repre sentative from the 9th district of Missouri in the 53d Congress, 1893-95; was defeated for the 54th Congress by a music teacher at a time when Missouri sent 11 Republicans to Congress, and elected from the 9th district of Missouri to the 55th and successive Congresses, includ ing the 64th Congress. He served on the House
Committee on Foreign Affairs, and on the Com mittee on Ways and Means. He served as vice president for Missouri in the Trans-Mississippi Congress, held at Denver, Colo., in May 1891, and was permanent chairman of the Democratic National Convention of 1904; and chairman of the committee to notify Judge Alton B. Parker of his nomination for the Presidency. He was minority leader in the second session of the 60th and 61st Congress, and was elected speaker of the House of Representatives of the 62d, 63d and 64th Congresses. In 1912 he was the leading candidate for the Democratic nomina tion for President at the National Convention at Baltimore, leading on 29 ballots and receiving a clear majority on nine ballots, but was de feated by Governor Wilson of New Jersey.