Milford chronicle., 1953-02-13
A TEMPEST IN A TEAPOT

Recently Mrs. Mary Robinson editor of
sthe Sussex COuntian of Georgetown, speak
ing through the editorial columns of her
newspaper, threw a brickbat, so to speak,
at upstate newspapers and cOlumniStS. The
blast was brought on by stories which were
critical of conditions at the Sussex County
Prison. These stories, it seemed to many
readers, were unWarranted and misleading.
Mrs. Robinson wrote in defense of the prison
and those responsible for it's administration
and operation. She expressed the feeling Of
thousand of Sussex COuntianS when she
voiced resentment at the meddling in our
county affairs by sO-called social refOrmerS
in Wilmington and elsewhere. In the course
Of her editorial discussion she voiced the
opinion that the average Sussex County res
ident thought and reacted, to present day
problems more like the average Maryland
eastern shOreman than to the thinking OF
WilmingtOnianS and New Castle COuntlanS.
That as we recall the editorial, was the
thought advanced by Mrs. Robinson. Later,
Gilbert Jones, editor of the Laurel Register
and a native Sussex Countian, suggested
through the editorial columns of his news
paper the possibility that Sussex County
Should secede from Delaware and affiliate
itself with the counties on the eastern shore
of Maryland.
We read both editorials with some in
terest Our reaction at the time was that
maybe someone's feelings had been, hurt by
news items criticising the Sussex Jail con-
ditiOns and other things. The suggestion of
Mr.. Jones we brushed aside for just what 1t
Was-editOriaI Wishfu thinking maybe But
now Bill Frank, writing in the Wilmington
Morning News, needles both Mrs. Robinson
and Gilbert Jones' To our way of thinking
#this is one subject that is better dropped
t.than followed to a point where dissensiOn
@and strife could result. Just such unneces-
sary controversies have lead to misunder-
kstandings and trouble in the past 1t is too
easy to create strife in these trying times
times when nerves are on edge-tO have
this needing continue.
The writer was born on the Kent County
side of Milford. For over forty years, dur
ing all of his married life, he has resided
s on the Sussex County side of this city. We
are a native-bOrn dOwnstater. We believe
that we know both the mental reactions of
people in Kent and Sussex Counties and
those in Wilmington and rural New Castle
seCounty We get around and keep in con-
/ stant touch with affairs, both county and
state. We have not the slightest doubt about
the reactions of the DOWNSTAIRS" to any
given problem. 1t is our judgment that the
S average Sussex County resident reacts very
much as do those of our nearby Maryland
county residents. There is a reason for this.
Lower Delaware, and Sussex County in par
Llculdf, is pfoQOIlluduLy agricultural OO
are the adjoining counties of Maryland. 1t
is natural and normal to think and react
along the lines of ones environment. BY
the same line of reasoning, ''up State, which
includes Wilmington and the northern pOr-
tiOn of New Castle County, is predominant
ly industrial. The people there naturally
think along the lines of things which affect
their livelihood and living conditions. 1t is
just two different ways of life meeting anC
0Vpr1anOinO a very small state
1t is within the realm of possibility that
as the years pass, this cleavage between the
needs of the northern and southern parts
of the State will become more pronounced
Notwithstanding this, there is no reason
why reasonable people of both sections O.
the State should not sit down calmly ant
meet any problems which may arise A bet
ter feeling will be engendered for people o
all of Delaware when WilmingtOnianS stOl
referring to Sussex COuntians as chicks
and dOwnstaters stop looking with suspicion
on every man or woman from our netrOpo
lis in northern Delaware who advances
plan which he or she thinks will make Ou
little State better place in which to live.
Delaware is changing. There is no dOub
about that Whether for the better or wOrs
only time will tell. It is very noticeable i
the newspapers publishing industry in Dels
ware. 1t is a fact that very large PEI
centage of Delaware newspapers are pub
lished and edited by men who have come t
our State within comparatively recent year.
"A larger proportion of Sussex County news
papers are owned and edited by native Dor
sons and daughters than are those Of an
other part of the State. This may be goOC
and again it may not. We find lack {
knowledge of Delaware and Delawareans Q
the part of many Of these editors and puI
fishers as we discuss with them problems
mutual interest. Many of them just do n,
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