Champ Clark (1850-1921), born James Beauchamp Clark, was an American congressman. After a successful career as lawyer, newspaper editor, and local politician in Missouri, Clark served in U.S. House of Representatives from 1893-1895 and again from 1897-1921, becoming a promenant leader of the Democratic Party. In 1910, Clark organized a successful opposition to Speaker of the House Joseph Cannon's practice of arbitrary control of legislative procedure. The next year (1911), Clark became speaker himself, serving in that capacity until 1919. In 1912, Clark was widely considered the leading candidate for the Democratic nomination for President until William Jennings Bryan shifted his support to eventual winner Woodrow Wilson.