PERIODICAL
690
PERIODICAL
publication of this kind of literature continued to
develop in succeeding years until it reached a maxi--
mum in 1702, when fourteen periodicals were pub-
lished; the number then diminished until, in 17S0,
it had sunk to two, increasing once more to fourteen
in 1786. The publications of this period treated of
political, commercial, and literary matters, though
such a periodical as the "Apologista Universal", be-
lieved to have been edited by Fray Pedro de Centeno,
denounced abuses and refuted errors.
The Catholic Press as we now have it did not exist until a later period, when the attacks of gallicizing Liberals and Voltaireans upon the Catholic Religion roused Catholics to defend the traditional doctrines. The liberty of the Press decreed by the Cortes of Cadiz, in 1812, resulted in a remarkable ebulhtion among Liberal writers, and in 1814 the number of periodicals amounted to twenty-three, while Father Alvarado, the Dominican, wrote his famous articles, under the title "Cartas de un fiWsofo rancio" (Let- ters of a Soured Philosopher), against the new doc- trines which the French Revolutionists had planted in Spain, and the nascent Liberal Press were striving to popularize. At this time, too (1S13-1.5), Fray Agustin de Castro, the Hieronymite, edited "La Atalya de la Mancha" (The ^\'atch-Tower of La Mancha). On 25 April, 1815, a decree of Ferdinand VII prohibited the publication of any periodical ex- cept "La Gaceta" and "El Diario de Madrid". But when the Constitution of 1820 proclaimed the liberty of the Press, the number of Liberal periodicals rose to sixty-five. Mesonero Romanes, in his "Recollections of a Septuagenarian" (Madrid, 1880), p. 453, speaking of this era in Spanish history, uses the expression: "the indiscreet attempt made by the political press in the turbulent constitutional period of 1820-23". No Catholic periodicals were published at this time, since, as the same author tells us (p. 2.32), "The Serviles and Absolutists maintained a complete silence as the only means of avoiding the attacks of the jour- nalists". It must be borne in mind that the Catholics of that time were, as a general rule. Absolutists. In 1823 the king was again absolute, and once more he silenced the Press, which declined for a number of years, until the triumph of Liberalism during the regency of Dona Cristina gave it new life. The number of periodicals reached forty in 1837, and con- stantly increased thereafter.
Among the Catholic periodicals which appeared during the reign of Isabella II, may be mentioned the Carlist publications, "El Cat61ico" and "La Esper- anza", the latter founded by Pedro de la Hoz. "El Pensamiento de la naci6n " was edited by the famous philosopher Balmez, who had begun his career as a journalist with "La Ci\'ilizaci6n", published at Bar- celona, in collaboration with Ferrer y Subirana, before leaving him to found "Sociedad". Navarro Villoslada was the editor of "El Pensamiento Espanol", and such distinguished writers as Gabino Tejado, Juan M. Orti y Lara, and Suarez Bravo were among its contributors. Candido Nocedal founded "La Con- stancia", a shortlived publication, in which the dis- tinguished Catholic journalist and writer Ram6n Nocedal made his first efforts. All these periodicals disappeared during the period of the Revolution. After the Revolution, and when the Carlist War had been brought to a conclusion, Candido Nocedal, having, with other moderate members of the Isabel- list Party, joined the Carlists, founded "El Siglo Futuro" in 1874. Vicente de la Hoz, son of the former editor of "La Esperanza", founded "La F&", and Suarez Bravo "El Fenix", which lasted only two years. Alejandro Pidal revived "La Espana Cat6- lica", which had existed before the Revolution. At Seville there appeared "El Diario de Sevilla", which will always be associated with the name of that illus- trious writer Padre Francisco Mateos Gago. Upon
the death of Candido Nocedal, who had been thr
leader of the Carlist Party since the end of the Civil
War, differences arose between his son Ram6n and the
other chiefs of that party, which gave rise to the
" Burgos Manifesto " of 1888. The Carlists separated
from the Integrists, who were led by Ramon Nocedal.
That same year, 1888, saw the first appearance of
"El Correo Espanol", now (1910) the organ of Don
Jaime's party. In 1897 "El Universo" was founded
by Juan M. Orti, who, a few years earlier, had left the
Intergist Party.
Forty-eight Catholic dailies are now published in Spain. They may be grouped as Integrist, Jaimist, and Independent. The first and second of these groups represent the two Traditionalist parties; the third is formed of those journals which maintain Catholic doctrines without adhering to any political party. Of the forty-eight, eleven are Integrist, eleven Jaimist, and the remainder Independent. The most important are "El Siglo Futuro", Integrist, founded in 1874, now edited by Manuel Senante, a member of the Cortes; "El Correo Espaiiol", Jaimist, founded in 1888, owned by the Duke of Madrid, edited by Rafael Morales; "El Universo", founded in 1899, owned by the Junta Social de Acci6n Cat6hca, edited by Rufino Blanco (these three published at Madrid); "La Gaceta del Norte", founded in 1901, published at Bilbao, edited by Jos6 Beccrra. The number of copies printed by these papers naturally varies with circumstances; it is safe to say, however, that on an average "El Siglo Futuro" prints 7000 copies; "EI Correo Espanol", 18,000; "El Universo", 14,000; "La Gaceta del Norte", 12,000. Again.st this the anti-Catholic dailies publish: "El Pais", Socialist Republican, 18,000 copies; "El Heraldo de Madrid", 70,000; "El Liberal", 40,000. The Moderate period- icals — e. g., "A. B. C", "La Correspondencia de Espana", and "La Epoca", the organ of the Conserv- ative Party — have a large number of readers.
The other Catholic periodicals are: 2 tri-monthly; 7 bi-weekly; 63 weekly; 5 published every ten days; 9 semi-monthly; 9 monthly. Of these 11 are Cath- olic-social; 9 liitegrist; 19 Jaimist; the rest Inde- pendent. The illustrated papers worthy of mention among them are "La Lectura Dominical" (Sunday Reading), organ of the Apostolate of the Press, "El Iris de Paz", conducted by the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, at Madrid; "La Hormiga de Oro" (The Golden Ant), Catholic illus- trated, Barcelona; "La Revista Popular", edited by Felix Saeda y Salvany, Barcelona. There are twenty- four semi-monthly and seventy-four monthly reviews published in Spain; twenty-eight of them deal with social questions, one is devoted to Spanish Sacred Music, four deal with ecclesiastical sciences in gen- eral, while the remainder handle religious and literary topics. About twelve of these are illustrated, the principal being: "La Ciudad de Dios", founded in 1881, a semi-monthly review conducted by the .\ugus- tinian Fathers of the Escorial, and including among its notable contributors the late Padre Camara, formerly Bishop of Salamanca; "Raz6n y Fe", founded in 1901, a monthly review published by the Jesuit Fathers at Madrid; "Revista de Estudios Francis- canos", founded 1907, published by the Capuchin Fathers at Sarria (Barcelona), and including among its most noteworthy contributors Padre Francisco E.splugas; " La Ciencia Tomista", bi-weekly, founded in March, 1910, published by the Dominican Fathers; "El Mensajero del Coraz6n de Jesus" (Messenger of the Sacred Heart), a monthly review, founded in 1869 by Father de la Ramiere, and now edited by Padre Remigio Vilarino. (Padre Coloma, S.J., a member of the .\cademy of the Language, and celebrated as a novelist, has published in "El Mensajero" his most notable works.) "Revista Cat6lica de Cuestiones Sociales", founded in 1895, at Madrid, organ of the
