Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-10
REAPPOIN TENTS
The Presidents Policy May Provoke
Lively Controversy.
an ISSUE WITH THE SENATE LIKELY
The Case of Mrs. Helm Cited as
an Instance.



The President continues his policy Of re-
appointing persons whom he named for
office during the session of the Senate, but
upon whose nominations that body refused
or neglected to take action. 1t is policy
that many public men are examining with
care, and some with pronounced disfavor.
and 1t is certain to provoke a lively con-
troversy when the Senate meets again next
winter and these names are sent in the Sec
ond time for consideration.
Both Sides of the Cnse.
Those Senators who resent this action on
the part of the President regard 1t as being
not only in derogation of the dignity of
the Senate, but in violation Of the spirit CT
the Constitution. AS they put the case, the
failure or refusal of the Senate to act
upon a nomination is polite notification
to the President that the Senate does not
approve of the choice he has made. In
extreme cases there Is rejection outright.
But, as they insist, the Senate, by the one
means as by the other. takes position in the
premises, and the President on his part is
bound to take due heed. 1t is even urged
that it would be no more improper for him
to send in the name OF q person whose
nomination had already been rejected than
It is for him to lay before the Senate for
the second time names which it has already
refused to consider. The Senate's rights
are the equal of his own
The Presidents side of the controversy Is
gathered from those who approve of his
course and who, as a rule. in one way or
another, benefit by it. They insist that the
President has a perfect right to demand
positive action by the Senate on all nomi-
nations submitted to it, and that 1t is only
In this way that the real judgment Of the
Senate can be secured Non-action, they
insist, may represent only the attitude of a
committee toward a nomination. One Sen
ator, even, by a fortunate presentation or
a personal question to a committee COM
posed of his personal friends may hope to
balance his single influence against that or
the President and in the end win the day,
without ever the Senate as BODY being
called into consultation at all.
The most interesting of these reappoint-
ments has just been madS and the case
contains features which shSw how greatly
purely personal considerations weigh both
with the executive and with the senate
in the filling of public places.
The Case of Mrs. Helm.
Last winter man of the name Of Joplin
was appointed postmaster at Elizabeth
town, KY, to succeed Mrs. Helm. young
or sister of Mrs Abraham Lincoln. The
nomination was made at the instance Of
Mr.. Montgomery, then representing the
Elizabethtown district in the House. He
did not prove to be popular in Kentucky,
where Mrs. Helm. both by reason of her re-
lationship to Mrs. Lincoln and of her own
name, is held in very high and even at
fectionate esteem. The ex-confederateS
throughout the state were especially earn
est in their protest. Ben Hardin Helm mad
commanded a Kentucky brigade in the
confederacy, had died in battle, and they
insisted that his widow ought to be per-
mitted to remain in office. They made
their wishes known to Senator Blackburn.
himself an ex-confederate, and asked him
to prevent the confirmation of Joplin Mr..
Blackburn could not resist the appeal. In
the first place, his sympathies were with
Mrs. Helm. and. in the second place, as a
candidate to succeed himself in the Senate.
1t would be of great advantage to him thus
to obge so many of his old army COM
rades. He exerted himself and as the re-
suit the Senate committee on post offices
and post roads took no action on the NOM
inaton. 1t died with the session.
The President resents this by reappoint-
ing Joplin. and at time when Joplin Is
certain to get the office. He will be in
stalled at once, and when the Senate re-
assemblies his name will again be sent in
for confirmation There may be a contest.
bat 1t Is thought that Joplin in the end
will be confirmed. His rejection could not
benefit Mrs. Helm. She will be out, and the
President would not send in her name.
Further protests. therefore, In her behalf
would be in vain.
Other Cases That Mny Cause Trouble.
But while this case possesses a sentiment
al interest, there are others thought to be
far stronger in elements that go to supply
material for warm controversy be-
tween the President and the Senate, and
in which the Senate may hope for some
advantage. 1t Is not difficult to raise a
controversy between them. 1t has come,
indeed. in political circles to be considered
sure thing that whatever recommends
scant favor, if any at all, with the Presi-
dent, and vice versa. Politicians on the
outside even trade upon this feeling, and
go to the Senate or to the President for
favors with all the greater assurance as
they are known to be out of favor with
the one or the other, and it is in this way
1t Is asserted, that some of the appoint
ments now in controversy came originally
10 be made. The known opposition of GER
tain Senators turned the scale in the in
terestS OF applicants who had secured the
Presidents ear by reason of that fact
1t will be the aim. however, of many
Senators to eliminate the purely personal
phases from the general question, and try
1t when the time comes upon it's real mer-
Its. They contend that most important
principle Is involved, and that the Presi-
dents action Is calculated to prevent that
cooperation between the Senate and the
executive commanded by the Constitution
for 30 other purpose but to insure the fill
Ing of the public places with thoroughly
competent and acceptable persons. Neither
should appear to fout the Judgment or the
wishes of the other. or DO anything cal
tation.