The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-08-14
HE New York Tribune ventures the assertion that there is a great
 scarcity of labor in the south due

[-h 9 the assertion that there is great
 scarcity of labor in the south due to the intimidation of White Caps, the outrages of peonage and the convict camps, and to other methods for terroriz- Ing the colored people. It states further that southern planters are anxious to se~ cure Italian laborers from the north, but the doughty descendants of the Caesars will not submit to persecution in the southland, and if planters desire their services the lawlessness which now stalks triumphant over the cotton fields will have to be curbed. The Italian im- migrants can get work in the north and are not coming down south where their happy homes may be broken up at any mo- ment by a band of fire-eating southrons, wearing huge sombreros, fierce nous taches and a few pistols. The Tribune does not use these words, but this is the impression that would be created by reading it's editorial. What some of the leading papers of the east know about industrial and social conditions in the south is really surprising, andvwhen one of these publications attempts to account [ for the scarcity of labor in the fields by the racial animosty of the southern peo- pie 1t Is to laugh. The scarcity of ne- groes on plantations Is accounted for by the fact that they are constantly moving to the towns and cities where industrious members of the race find 1t easier to make living, where the idle and vicious find haunts to their taste, and where all can enjoy the companionship of their fellows. The negro loves company, and that is one of the chief reasons why he comes to town The country negro has also found out that he can make more
 money at manufacturing plants in a week than he could make in a month on the plantations and he can hardly be blamed for making the change.
 As the summer season draws to close poets are making a grand rally before opening up on the "sighing winds 'sere and yellow leaf" "hurrying clouds" and other poetic attributes of the fall of the year. The "saddest season of the year hath great attractions for rhymers and consequently they are making exertions to work up all their summer inspiration ere it is too late. The sanctum where these remarks are endited has been de- luged with poetry here of late' until the poetry editor has felt constrained to tear his hair in very anguish at the valuable postage stamps going to waste. Cam paign poems are also cropping out in great abundance. It Is one of the most remarkable traits of human nature that every man and woman thinks at some time in life that he or she can write po- etry. Some of them are effectually choled off and are saved for life of use fitness after several futile attempts to invade the columns of the press but many of these aspiring ones never give up hope. Year in and year out finds them offering those identical sacrifices on the altar of the muses to be ruthlessly dealt with by tousled- -hea led man who has to work for his salary and hasn't time to swear.
 In characteristic English fashion Eng land is reported to be shaking it's sides, figuratively speaking, over the familiar strains of ''Bedelia" when that ragtime classic is already consigned by this coun- try to the eheerless abodes of After the Ball." "A Hot Time,' and other song hits of the past that are no longer per mitted in polite society. Englshmen gen. erally see the point of joke after Amer jeans have ceased to laugh and they seem to be the same way as regards "Bedelia Now we all agree that "Bedelia' Is a very good song and we liked to hear il once upon time but now we take great pleasure in recommending 1t to our cous- ins across the water with the wish that they may take it and keep 1t forever more.
 The country at large is endeavoring 10 figure out whether Mrs. Goelet really lost her jewels or wished the public to think that she had lost them. At any rate the exciting incident that stirred Newport to it's aristocratic depths and set the whole detective force of New York by the ears served admirably to call attention to the fact that Mrs. Goelet is the possessor of some very handsome trinkets that are worth the capitalization of a small trust. Now that the matter has blown over and the various disciples of Sherlock Holmes who participated with such credit have been complimented. society may be ex- pected to resume it's accustomed attitude of tutti frutti and marked sang froid After all Prince Henry will be one of the