03-064 [Reformists]
1883.01.15 Manila
From: Basilio Teodoro Moran
To: Jose Rizal
Sad story of the death of Diariong Tagalog – Sends Rizal another set of the paper – Hopes to republish it.
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Manila, 15 January 1883
Mr. Jose Rizal
Dear Friend,
I have in my possession the articles that you sent me and your letter delivered to me by your uncle, Don Antonio. A million thanks for the articles that you have done at so much sacrifice and until now are unpublished, because we have not yet resumed publication of our magazine. As I have a hope of publishing it again, I am not returning your articles in order to publish them in the first issues of its second epoch.
In my preceding letter I offered to give you a long account of the causes of the death of the newspaper and accordingly I will now relate them to you.
On 1st June that publication began with one thousand subscribers which increased by three hundred in the following month, but in August it lost many subscribers on account of the cholera which broke out in this city, so much so that the subscribers were reduced to eight hundred, because those who did not die emigrated to other towns. It began to recover in the month of September so that so that by the middle of October we had already one thousand two hundred subscribers and the number would have been greater if the typhoon of the 24th of that month did not reduce to poverty this city as well as the provinces in the Archipelago. I was one of its victims, for the sugar, which I expected would cover the expenses of that publication, was carried away by the typhoon because the warehouse where it was stored was completely destroyed. In view of this crisis I called the editor of the publication and I informed him of what had happened to me and at the same time I made known to him that I was in a situation that compelled me, much to my regret, to deduct from his salary the one thousand pesos that I had advanced to him as salary. I also made known my misfortune to his colleague who owed me 446 pesos and for this reason there arose a heated dispute between us and they ended by not wishing to work anymore, telling me too look for another staff. At the same time, the aforementioned editor published the paper’s farewell on his own responsibility notwithstanding that, though the permit was in his name, he has transferred it to me through a public document, a right which it has not been possible for me to make use of because I cannot find editors.
This is the sad story of our periodical and you can judge why I would not remember you in these critical moments.
Through the kindness of Mr. Felipe Zamora I send you a set of the Diariong Tagalog because you say that you have not received the set I sent you.
Your affectionate servant who kisses your hand,
Basilio Teodoro