Mr. Stevens to Mr. Foster.
Honolulu, November 28, 1892.
Sir: Your dispatch No. 62 of November 8 received. Hereafter I will comply as nearly as practicable with your suggestion that I separate my reports into two classes, one of an “open historical aspect” and the other of a “strictly reserved and confidential character.”
My dispatch 74, marked confidential, was written and copied before your 62 was received. The reason why I have deemed it necessary to consider most of my dispatches confidential is because of the peculiar state of things here. Anything which gets out in Washington in relation to affairs here is sure at once to be taken up by San Francisco papers, some of which are highly sensational. These newspapers are brought here in large numbers by the mail steamer, not followed by another usually before two weeks. Thus a falsehood or misrepresentation stands here unrefuted for two weeks, doing mischief.
So far the new cabinet holds well and gives satisfaction to the responsible men of the islands.
I am, etc.,