Smyrna times., 1911-12-27
HANDY GETS At MAYOR
FOR SLUR AROUT HAYSEEDS
FORMER CONGRESSMAN is NOT
ASHAMED HE LIVES IN COUNTRY
And Informs heIMayor of Wilmington
That CitY's Population Is Largely
Made up of "CountrYmen"

Ex-Congressman L. Irving Handy !
who resides in Smyrna, and has his
law offices in Wilmington, and !
Mayor Harrison W. Howell, Of the
City of Wilmington, engaged in a
cOlloquy at the dinner given by Col.
Grantley P. Postles at the Hotel
Wilmington last week in connection
with the Market street lighting cell
ebration, that was rather lively. Says
the Wilmington Sunday Star: "The
wOrdy scrap was started by the
Mayor referring to Mr.. Handy
as a "countryman with hayseed
in mis- hair and one who looks
at things in the narrow way
that countrymen have" The former
congressman came back with declar-
alton that if "the Mayor knew Will
mington as a Mayor ought to know
it, he would not be so quick to cast
slurs on countrymen or to talk about
the hayseed in theiI hair He
made a sharp thrust when he further
stated tina" the sooner the Mayor of
Wilmington learns better than to
sneer at countrymen, to slur their
places of residence and to say that
they have hayseed in their hair, the
sooner will he be fit for his job. "
Not only did Mr.. Handy make this
declaration, but he amplified it with
a further statement that "no man
who is indiscreet enough to express
such an opinion about rural Della
wareans, even if he think that way,
is sufficiently diplomatic to be of
real use to Wilmington in the
Mayors Office" A large number
of Wilmington and New Castle
county official were guests at the
function. When Mayor Howell was
called upon he advocated the erection
of municipal building for Will
mington on the site of the present
i. Court House. He urged it's contrue-
tion either in conjunction with the
construction of county building or
as a sepa1 ate municipal structure.
Mayor Says Levy Court is Asleep
1.-THE members of the Levy Court
were present and the Mayor sharply
declared that they were asleep; that
the city could get no action from
them and that they were standing in
the way of progress. He said all
of the city officials were unanimous
ly in favor of the plan Of building
a municipal structure on the Court
House lot. After several other
persons had spoken, MIR. Handy
arose. He said it was interesting
and amusing to oberve that the one
thing the city officials could agree
upon unanimously was the PROPOSE
zion that the municipal building
should be erected on land belonging
to the county. He traced the his
tory of the site and detailed the
circumstances and conditions on
which Wilmington gave it to New
Castle County for court house pur-
poses thirty years ago. He argued
that the Mayor should not be toe
hard on those members of the Levy
Court elected in rural New Castle
county. They are, he said, re-
sponsible to the voter who elected
them and those voters not be- so un'
animous as are the city authorities,
in having the Levy Court donate
land now worth several hundred
thousand dollars to the municipality
Mavor Howell took the floor 10 repl!
as soon as the ex-Congressman hat
ceased. His retort was Of a per
sonal nature and then the fun started
Handy Gross Counters the Mayor.
cat this juncture the crowd wa
enjoying the affair hugely. Their
were cries of Handy" Handy,
eco and get him., and other re
marks of like nature. Mr.. Hand.
arose and said he was a countrymal
and not altogether ashamed OF 1t
that there are good people who liv
in the country. He said if tn
Mayor knew Wilmington, as a May
or ought to know it, he would no
be so quick to cast slurs on country
men or to talk about the hayseed i
their hair. He continued: Whining
ton does not raise its own populatlo
any more than it raises its owl
food. More than half of the presen
population came to the city from tn
country. They came from Cheste
county, Pa, from rural New Castl
county and from Kent and SUISSE
counties. The Wilmington shop
are full of countrymen at work
Her stores and banks are largel
manned by countrymen. Her pre-
fessional service, preachers, lawyer