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Newspaper La Correspondencia De Puerto Rico (San Juan, P.R.) 1890-1943

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About La Correspondencia De Puerto Rico (San Juan, P.R.) 1890-1943

La Correspondencia de Puerto Rico, a reflection of La Correspondencia de España, was founded by Ramón B. López in San Juan on December 18, 1890. Priced at one cent, it appealed to the general public and quickly became the largest circulating daily newspaper in Puerto Rico with a print run of 5,000 copies a day. Due to its popularity, it was conferred the sarcastic nickname of “El periódico de las cocineras”(the housewife’s newspaper). La Correspondencia de Puerto Rico is considered the first daily news report on the island accessible to a wider public.

In his dissertation Análisis histórico de la noción del “periodismo profesional” en Puerto Rico-del siglo XIX al XX-(2007)(“Historic Analysis of the Notion of Professional Journalism in Puerto Rico in the 19th and 20th Centuries”), journalism professor Luis Fernando Coss highlighted the modernist elements embodied in La Correspondencia. A clear rupture with the traditional partisan press, an interest in covering general issues of relevance beyond the local claims of the press in the major cities of San Juan, Ponce, and Mayaguez, and a flaunting of objectivity all marked the beginning of a new era for newspapers in Puerto Rico.

La Correspondencia caught the attention of its readers with reports on tariffs in 1895, its sober discussion of the monopolies and the urban protests against them, and its focus on the war for Cuban independence. The newspaper’s coverage of the momentous years 1897 through 1899 associated with the Spanish-American War are particularly important for researchers. Among the topics featured during this period was the installation of the Autonomic Cabinet, the elections of island representatives in March 1898, the difficulties of the regional government in financing public works, the United States invasion and occupation, and the transition to military government in 1899. La Correspondencia also reported on the measures of American governors Guy V. Henry and George Davies in the turbulent year of 1899 to implement the 8-hour workday, suspend foreclosures of farm owners’ mortgages, and promote the exchange of the provincial currency for the U.S. dollar. La Correspondencia’s coverage of the August 8th hurricane in San Ciriaco provided multiple nuances and details absent in other periodicals of the time.

In the beginning, La Correspondencia wanted to proscribe the publication of narrative literature. However, physician and writer Manuel Zeno Gandía, who bought the newspaper in April 1902, made sure to include poems and other works by various writers, who later gained recognition. In fact, the paper served as a vehicle for the dissemination of literary modernism on the island. During the first decade of the 20th century, La Correspondencia took a political turn by affiliating with the Union Party of Puerto Rico behind the slogan of gobierno propio or self-government. A proponent of self-determination, the newspaper echoed popular concerns about the Foraker Act (1900), which established civilian government in Puerto Rico, as well working to promote the economic and intellectual progress of the island in general. The last issue of La Correspondencia de Puerto Rico appeared in 1943.

Provided By: University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, Library System

About this Newspaper

Title

  • La Correspondencia De Puerto Rico (San Juan, P.R.) 1890-1943

Summary

  • Como un eco de La Correspondencia de España, el diario La Correspondencia de Puerto Rico fue fundado por Ramón B. López en San Juan, el 18 de diciembre de 1890. Llegó a ser el periódico de mayor circulación y exposición popular, con precio de un centavo, y una tirada de 5,000 ejemplares diarios. Por eso se le adjudicó el sobrenombre sarcástico de “El periódico de las cocineras”. Se inició en el formato del periódico reporteril para llegar a las masas. En su tesis doctoral de Historia del 2007, Análisis histórico de la noción del “periodismo profesional” en Puerto Rico (del siglo XIX al XX), Luis Fernando Coss destacó los elementos de modernidad que la publicación de La Correspondencia de Puerto Rico supuso en los 1890. Una ruptura clara con el partidismo tradicional de la prensa, un interés en abordar asuntos de pertinencia general, más allá de los reclamos localistas de la prensa de la Capital, Ponce y Mayagüez, y un alarde de objetividad marcaron al nuevo periódico. La Correspondencia, en su cobertura de la discusión de los aranceles en 1895, en su sobria discusión de los monopolios y las protestas urbanas contra ellos, y en su enfoque sobre la nueva guerra de independencia cubana alcanzó la atención de lectores de toda la isla. Para el investigador son importantes los textos de este periódico de los años 1897, 1898 y 1899. La instalación del gabinete autonómico, las elecciones de marzo de 1898, la Guerra Hispanoamericana, las dificultades del gobierno autonómico para conseguir financiamiento de las obras públicas, la invasión de Puerto Rico, los primeros reportajes sobre la zona de ocupación estadounidense entre agosto y octubre de 1898, las transiciones de poder del gabinete autonómico al gobierno militar en 1899, así como las medidas de los gobernadores Guy V. Henry y George Davies en el difícil año de 1899, en torno a la jornada laboral de 8 horas, la suspensión de ejecuciones sobre hipotecas de propietarios agrícolas y el canje de la moneda provincial por la norteamericana, especialmente después del huracán del día de San Ciriaco (8 de agosto) dan múltiples matices y detalles que no se encuentran fácilmente en otras publicaciones periódicas de la época. En sus inicios, la gerencia del periódico quiso proscribir la literatura; sin embargo, entrado el siglo XX y, sobre todo cuando Manuel Zeno Gandía compra el diario el 30 de abril de 1902, el médico y literato le dio otro giro, divulgando en sus columnas poemas de escritores valiosos y reconocidos posteriormente. Sirvió de ese modo como vehículo para la divulgación del modernismo literario en la isla. Durante la primera década del siglo XX tomó un giro político afiliado al partido Unión de Puerto Rico (1904) tras la consigna del gobierno propio o self-government y la definición del status, fungiendo como portavoz de las preocupaciones derivadas de la Ley Orgánica de 1900 (Ley Foraker) y la organización del gobierno civil, atento al progreso económico e intelectual de Puerto Rico.

Dates of Publication

  • 1890-1943

Created / Published

  • San Juan, P.R. : La Correspondencia de Puerto Rico

Headings

  • -  Puerto Rico--Newspapers
  • -  San Juan (P.R.)--Newspapers
  • -  Puerto Rico
  • -  Puerto Rico--San Juan
  • -  United States--Puerto Rico--San Juan

Genre

  • Newspapers

Notes

  • -  Daily (except Sunday)
  • -  Began with Dec. 18, 1890 issue; ceased in 1943.
  • -  "El diario más antiguo de la Isla."
  • -  "Periódico independiente."
  • -  "Diario absolutamente imparcial, eco de la opinión y de la prensa."
  • -  Available on microfilm from Library of Congress, Photoduplication Service.
  • -  Archived issues are available in digital format from the Library of Congress Chronicling America online collection.
  • -  Description based on: Año 1, Núm. 7 (25 de diciembre de 1890).
  • -  Latest issue consulted: Año 52, núm. (11 de feb. de 1943).

Medium

  • v.

Call Number/Physical Location

  • Newspaper

Library of Congress Control Number

  • sn91099747

OCLC Number

  • 23812209

ISSN Number

  • 2576-6260

Additional Metadata Formats

Availability

Rights & Access

The Library of Congress believes that the newspapers in Chronicling America are in the public domain or have no known copyright restrictions. Newspapers published in the United States more than 95 years ago are in the public domain in their entirety. Any newspapers in Chronicling America that were published less than 95 years ago are also believed to be in the public domain, but may contain some copyrighted third party materials. Researchers using newspapers published less than 95 years ago should be alert for modern content (for example, registered and renewed for copyright and published with notice) that may be copyrighted. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of an item and securing any necessary permissions ultimately rests with persons desiring to use the item.

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

La Correspondencia De Puerto Rico San Juan, P.R. -1943. (San Juan, PR), Jan. 1 1890. https://www.loc.gov/item/sn91099747/.

APA citation style:

(1890, January 1) La Correspondencia De Puerto Rico San Juan, P.R. -1943. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/sn91099747/.

MLA citation style:

La Correspondencia De Puerto Rico San Juan, P.R. -1943. (San Juan, PR) 1 Jan. 1890. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/sn91099747/.