Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-02
THE CASE OF JOPLIN
The Man Who supplanted Mrs Liscoln's
Sister as Postmaster.
The Senate Still Refuses to Confirm
Him and There il "a Very Pretty
Fight Over the Matter.

The sympathetic reference by Mr.. Wat
tersoR Sunday night to Mrs. Lincoln re-
called to the minds of some of his audience
the interesting story relating to that I'M
happy ladys younger sister. Mrs. Ben.
Hardin Helm is her name, and her home is
at Elizabethtown, Kentucky. Her husband
was the youngest brigadier general In the
confederate army. and was killed while
leading his men into action near Atlanta.
He was an attractive man, and left host
of very warm friends.
Appointed POstmistreSs.
The widow, with her little family, being
without means, she was appointed few
years after the war closed postmistress of
Elizabethtown. 1t was most popular APP
pointment, although bestowed by repub-
lican administration on one whose antece-
dents and whose personal sympathies were
all democratic. But everything yielded to
the fact that Mrs. Helm was the younger
sister of Mrs. Lincoln, and that Mr.. Lin
CON had been as fond Of her husband as of
an own brother. Moreover, Mrs. Helm was
:, competent woman for the office.
She served in the place satisfactorily to
the Post Office Department and to the peo-
pie of Elizabethtown, made snug home
for herself and educated her children. Re
publican administrations came and went,
impression grew up that she would hold
her Office for life. She herself naturally
fell in with that opinion.
Turned Out by Cleveland.
To her very great surprise. as well as to
the surprise of all her friends and towns
people, Mr.. Cleveland, in the fall of 1894,
refused to reappoint her. but gave the
office to a Mr.. Joplin. lieutenant OF Mr..
Montgomery, then the Representative III
Congress from that district. Mr.. Joplin
had been of service to Mr.. Montgomery In
the latter's Congress campaigns, and the
post office at Elizabethtown was his re-
ward.
ard when the last Congress met for the
short session the nomination OF Joplin was
sent in by the President, and appropriately
referred to the post Office committee OF the
Senate But there it remained during the
entire session. Mr.. Blackburn eXerted him.
self against action, and prevented 1t.
All the survivors of the old Hardin brigade,
as we'll as many prominent and influential
republicans, opposed confirmation. The
nomination, therefore, died with the ses-
SIGN.
Joplin RecOmmi SSH toned.
No sooner had Congress adjourned, how
ever than Joplin was recommissioned.
The President would not he baked in the
matter. So Joplin served through the long
vacation, and, when the present Congress
met, his name was again sent to the Sen
ate, the nomination was again referred to
the post office committee, and has again
been hung up. No report has yet been
made, and none seems likely. The demo-
Gratis were in majority when a report was
refused in the last Congress. The repub-
licans control the committee now, and seem
to be as much opposed to the appointment
as were the democrats.
1t is regarded Us certain that If confirma-
ton again fails, Joplin will again be re-
&C mmissioned by the President. And thus
the contention between the President and
the Senate promises to continue to the end
of the chapter, and this administration ex-
pires with Joplin still holding office by the
Presidents edict alone.
Very Pretty Fight.
1t is a very pretty fight as it stands. The
President would not in any circums tances
ieappoint Mrs. Helm, nor are her friends
asking anything for her at his hands. Their
appeal is exclusively to the Senate, which
is besought not to ratify change made
against the protests of so many people, and
involving the personal fortunes of sc
worthy woman; and, so far, the Senate
first under the control of the democrats
and now Of the republicans, has lent a sym
pathetic ear to the petition.