Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-23
TWO POST OFFICES
They Have Caused Kentucky Politi-
clans a Good Deal of Trouble.
THE FIGHT now FOR mrs. HELM
Protests From the Friends of Her
Late Husband.
PRESSURE ON MR.. .BLACKBURN

Mr. Cleveland. during his incumbency of
the Office of President has had no more in
teresting experience than with two post
cfIice appointments out in Kentucky. The
) first Of these cases was brought to hts at
tentiOn during his first terrl and the result
closed the congressional career of 4 prom
inent and useful man. The second case has
Just been decided, bat in a way to raise a
storm of protests and to throw the matter
into the senatorial contest now in its in
ciDient stage in the blue grass state. The
fight in both instances was over the reten-
ton in Office of a woman; but Just how this
may have affected MIR. Clevelands views as
to woman's suffrage or the adVsabiilty OF
taking women into general account IN inc
distribstion OF the federal patronage does
not appear.
The Case of aIrs. Thompson.
1t was Mr. Willis, then representing the
louisville district in the House. now the
American minister at Honolulu. who lost
his official head in the contention over the
frN place. Mrs. Thompson, very excel
lent and competent woman, was the post
mistress at Louisville and was seeking re-
appointment. AS the daughter OF Alex
anaer Campbell. the theoiogian, she had
thousands of friends throughout the couh-
try with whom she was not even personally
acquainted. In Louisville her friends were
legion. But having been appointed py MT
HAYES she had held the office for some
years and the loca! democratic MANAGERS
without personal criticism of the l&dy,
Thought a change should be made. The
oii.ce was important from party stand
point. and they took the ground that a man
should hold it. The tight was formed on
this line.
The local politicians were opposed to
Mrs Thompson, while many democratic
business men, purely through gali..Htry
.ana partly because she had made and was
making an acceptable Cff1cial. supper teu
her. MIR. Willis placed i'm very enl-
barrassine, position. Personally he favored
Mrs. Thompson, but he was coming Up
shortly for reelection, and prudence coun-
seed that he avoid in some way Offending
the local party managers. Ihe coil-eSt,
however. grew so warm that no middle
ground was tenable. and obliged at last
to declare himself without reserve, he
took his official life Ill his hands and in
dCrsed Mrs. Thompson. Her reap2olnt-
ment followed. The democratic congress
sicnal primaries in the Louisville district
that fail were the liveliest in local history.
Mr.. Willis and Mr.. Caruth were the con-
teStantS. but the issue was the decision In
the post office fight, and as the party CT
ganiZation had all been anti-ThompSon,
Mr.. Willis found himself under the ban OF
the machine dispIeasure. His record other
wise was without objection. and as chair
man OF the rivers and harbors committee
he had been able to render his constitu-
ents with their long line of river floods
sCme notable service. But the Thompson
APPOINTMENT sealed his fate and sent him
IN to retirement until ne was summoned to
go to Honolulu.
Now IL Is Mrs. Helm.
The case just decided-though by no
means finally disposed offs that of Mrs
Helm, the postmistress at Elizabethtown.
She, like Mrs Thompson. is a woman cf
distinguished social connections. and of
excellent business capacity. She is a
nf ba l:ttp n
Lincoln, and the widow of the most DASH
ing and brilliant young officer that Ken
lucky contributed TO the confederacy.
Ben Hardin Helm was a very young
brigadtcr general and fell at the head Of
his men in one of the engagements before
Atlanta He was one of those attractive
rren generally beloved, who leave behind
them when cut off early in Efe fragrant
memory that long survives His Old army
comrades still speak of him with adinira-
ton and affection. Mrs. Helm, with sev-
eraI small children, was left without means
aud found il difficult to support her little
family Finally, after some years. her
friends secured for her the appointment of
postmistress at Elizatethtown, and she has
since held that office. and proved herself
IL every way competent to fill 1t. Recent
w. however Mr.. Montgomery of the fourth
Kentucky district. whose home is at Eliza
bethtown asked for a char Se in the office.
Mrs. Helms term had expired and he pre-
scented the name of one of his party friends
for the place. Here again the President
should be permitted to name the post
master in his own town. Mr. montgomery
offered, of course. no criticism OF Mrs.
Helm. but insisted that as she had held
the office for many years. she should now
give place to somebody else. Senators
blackburn and Lindsay indorsed Mrs
Helm as did Secretary Carlisle. Mrs. Helm
came on to Washington and saw the Presi-
dent and Postmaster General Bssell. But
Mr.. Montgomery insisted. and his friend. a
man of the name of Joplin. was appointed.
. The Battle just Begun.
But now the battle has really begun.
Zen Hardin HeIm's old army comrades arc
scattered all over Kentucky, and some OF
them are men of great Influence. They are
incensed at the defeat of Mrs. Helm at the
White House, and are filing Senator Black
burns mail with letters of protest against
the confirmation of joplin. They want him
TO hold up the nomination in the Senate, in
the hope that by SO doinS he may aid In
the final triumph of Mrs. Helm. Mrs.
Helm is stlll in office and will continue
there until her successor presents himself
.and qualities. Their belief seems to be that
if no action is taken on the nomination at
this session of Congress the President will
not renew the appointment. but leave Mrs.
Helm undisturbed in the place. These ap-
p.. Is. IL is easy to be seen, find re-
spCusive chord In Senator blackburn
bosom. Not only was he originally IN
favor of Mrs Helm. but every considera-
ton OIL Il pOlltltdi idluIc urges " 81
aII lengths now for the widow of his old
friend. He Is q candidate to succeed HIM
self In the Senate, and has race before
him calculated to try his mettle as never
before He will stump the interior of Ken
tucky riding horseback. and visit all of
the strongholis where Ben Hardin Helms
memory is as much cherished as by him.
self And, besides. Mr.. Blackburn served In
the confederacy. and feels soldiers as
well as a politicians interest In the case
TIE impression is strong in Kentucky cir
Giles that Joplin will not be confirmed. and
that, in the end by dtnt of a calmer con-
alteration of her official record and the in
creased activity of her numerous friends.
Mrs. Helm will secure q reappointment.