The Republican Party
The three most distinguished men in this party—Melquiades Alvarez, Blasco Ibañez and Rodrigo Soriano,—are all celebrated for their literary and oratorical gifts, and enjoy the respect and confidence of the veteran Liberal leaders, Moret and Montero Rios. Their policy may be described as Republican in idea, but democratically Monarchical in practice, and their demands for vigorous measures of reform have materially strengthened the hands of the Liberal-Monarchists.
The organ of this party is El Pais, which, although its sale is very much smaller, has the largest circulation among the working classes after El Liberal. The paper, as might be expected from the literary renown of the leaders who direct it, is extremely well written, the staff including some of the most highly educated Progressives in Spain. It is possible, however, that the standard of intellectuality maintained in its leading articles militates against its success with the people. The numerical strength of the Republicans is small. Thus, the circulation of El Pais being comparatively limited, the Reactionists are not nearly so much afraid of its influence on the country as of that of El Liberal, and indeed seem to treat it almost with indifference. It is sold at the same price as the papers of the Sociedad Editorial.