Arizona republican., 1897-12-29
THE NEWS OF WASHINGTON.

1.-The growers of citrus fruits, and in fact all fruits in California" re- marked Mr. G. D. Parker of San Fran cisco at the National, fare enthusias- tic enough over the Dingley bill to make the author of it chief executive. The duty is now fully 400 per cent, which enables a box of lemons to be put down in New York, and to be sold for prices that shuts out con- petition from the Italian growers. It costs $1.10 per box to transport lem -ons between Riverside and New York, and only 65 cents to bring them by tramp steamer from Italy.
 1.-The truth is the tariff law fits California like a knit shirt around ones body. Probably no other state in the Union is more pleased with that statute"
 w. w. Thomas of Portland, Me, who has just been appointed minister to Sweden, is at the Arlington. He is a large, swaGthy looking man, with fierceness of aspect that would suit a Russian, but with the rapid, nervous
 
 in a Frenchman. In a few days Mir. Thomas and his wife, who is a Swed- ish lady of high birth, expect to sail for the twin kingdoms of the far north.
 There is a peculiar story connect ed with MT. Thomas's appointment, for it was promised him some eight or nine months ago. The retiring min ister, MT. Ferguson of Maryland, was a gold democrat, and he came home during the presidential election, help ed in the campaign for Mckinley. and before he returned to Sweden paid his respects to the president-elect Mr. Mckinley is said to have been So much gratified at the services render ed by MT. Ferguson that he delaye d appointing his successor.
 .. Hedemann, the manager of the only iron foundry in Hawaii, is a guest at the Arlington. MT. Hede- mann has just returned from Louisi- ana, where, in company with three Of the largest sugar planters in the island, he has been studying the American system of sugar machinery In this connection he said last night From a mechanical standpoint ] hardly think that the system in use on the plantations which we visited could be improved upon. The Ameri- can growers have some machines which are certainly new to us of the islands, and, with the natural facili- ties at their command, they make the most of their crop. Without any crit icism of their methods, I may say that we have the natural advantages on our side. While it takes our croI little longer to mature, we, have nc frost on the islands and the cane reaches fuller growth, giving a greater yield of sugar per acre.
 "One of the arguments against the annexation of Hawaii has been tha. all Of the arable land is already taken up, but I may say that recently we have introduced irrigation, which very materially increases the amount of land available for both sugar an6 coffee. You will recollect that Ha waii is in the track of the Pacific trade winds, and that while the side of thf islands touched by these winds has ( bountiful rainfall and is natura garden, the other side, evsn outs;dt of the lava beds, is almost as ariG as your own southwest. Within, com paratively a little while irrigau, or from artesian wells has been trei over this area, and the yield per acrt has been gratifying in the extreme,
 "As to annexation, I cannot say that the sentiment is universally in it: favor, but all of the best people ir the islands, all those who have mon eyed interests at stake, want the pro lection of the United States. Yol in. this country can have no idea O the dread in which the white nODuIa ton of Hawaii stand of Japan.
 know from talks with some of tn most influential Japanese officials tha plans are already perfected by thu mikado's government to seize tn