The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-07
COMMENTS ON MEN AND
 MATTERS OF THE WORLD

and the yellow journals were furnished with no more copy.
 The California Grape Growers assoeia- tion announces a drop in the prices of wine grapes on account of the heavy crops this year. Black wine grapes are now quoted at SIP per ton and the white variety are $l0 In its statement to the public the association says that this reduction is made in order to permit winemakers to dispose of their stocks. Last year the yield was unusually heavy and again this year the crop will be large As d result there are more grapes than are needed Another cause of the decline is the in crease in acreage which the association predicts for next year. The consumption of wine has been marked for several years but the production is too heavy for the demand. Not so very long ago it was customary to consider domestic wines very inferior to the vintage of the old world but this belief seems to be passing away now. California wines are coming rapidly into favor It has been often said that persons thinking themselves good judges of liquors have been deceived into drinking domestic wine for what they con- sidered very fine brand from across the water
 Today will be celebrated by the Ameri- can workingman in fitting manner. The observance of Labor Day is of compara- lively recent origin, but has rapidly spread to all parts of the country until now 1t is legal holiday in all the states and territories except Arizona. Louisiana. Mississippi Nevada, North Dakota and Oklahoma. In none of these sections of the country is organized labor strong, so that it may be said that Labor day is observed wherever the workingman is to be fonnd in sufficient numbers. Labor day is one of our youngest holidays, but has become one of the most important on account of the large part of our national population interested in it's observance. Ten years ago celebrations on the scale as those of today were unknown.
 The Richmond Times-Dispatch bewails the inexorable march of progress that is destined soon to make the famous Dismal swamp remembered only in the songs and stories that it has inspired. The lake is rapidly being drawn off for commercial purposes and now an Ohio syndicate of capitalists and farmers has purchased 2O,- 900 acres in the heart of the swamp which will be converted into arabic land. The heavy growth of timber will be felled, waters drained off, and soon the former haunts of wild animals will be dotted with the homes of men. Virginia is too near the progressive New Englan6ers to long escape the effects of commercialism but down in this part of the country there are many such regions that have not yet been touched by the hand of progress. For instance in Louisiana there are vast tracts of desolate swamps, covered by an inn penetrable tangle of vines and forest, that are just as wild today as wher the Spaniards first wandered through them in search of gold. In Mississippi also there are many such places, ana it is safe to say that it will be a long time before they become desirable locations for set tiers. These wastes have been made famous by George w. Cable and other~ writer's wfru' nave rallen under the spell of their gloomy solitude. These great desolate stretches of forest and swamp are relic of primeval times but some day they too will be cleared away to make room for our increasing population.
 P. c.