QUIROGA: a MEXICAN MDlSriCIPIO — BRAISTD 



107 



10. To guard and regulate good manners and morals 



at public spectacles ; and to prevent the showing 

 of theatrical acts and movies not previously 

 authorized. 



11. To preserve and respect the right of thinking, 



including its oral and written expression. 



12. To examine and pass on plans for new buildings 



so as to insure that the buildings are safe, 

 hygienic, and in accordance with local archi- 

 tectonic style. 



13. To divide the settlements into quarters and 



blocks. 



14. To determine and post the names of streets, and 



to number the houses and public buildings. 



15. To provide, to the greatest possible extent, drink- 



ing water, drainage, electric lights, etc. 



16. To prepare, for presentation to the State congress, 



an estimate of income and expenditures for the 

 succeeding year. 



17. To keep municipal statistics and to provide data 



whenever so requested by the State or the 

 Federal Government. 



18. To install, in the center and at the exits of towns, 



signs with the name of the community and the 

 distance in kilometers to the next. 



19. To organize civic, patriotic, and cultural pro- 



grams. 



20. To draw up a census of children of school age. 



21. To publish a monthly statement on the condition 



of the municipal treasury. 



22. To see that children go to school (public). 



23. To organize the municipal police or security 



force. 



24. To check the quality of drinks and foods sold. 



25. To look after public squares, markets, parks, 



slaughterhouses, gardens, jails, and cemeteries. 



26. To protect and foment agriculture, industry and 



commerce — provide seeds for experiment, spon- 

 sor fairs, make plantations of trees, study the 

 natural resources (flora, fauna, minerals), etc. 



27. To combat drugs of the opium group, marihuana, 



and alcoholism. 



28. To foment cooperative societies. 



29. To cooperate with State and Federal forestry 



officials; promote reforestation, put out forest 

 fires, regulate the use of the woods, etc. 



Obviously, many of the items mentioned are not 

 necessary, feasible, or appropriate in a small 

 municipio such as is Quiroga. Furthermore, 

 municipal activity in most hues represents the 

 personal interests of the munlcipes or strongly or- 

 ganized opinion among the influential citizens of 

 the area. 



Specifically, the ayuntamiento may not collect 

 excise taxes (alcabalas), act in a judicial capacity, 



create imposts without permission of the State 

 congress, spend for purposes not specified in the 

 budget, grant permission to build in public areas 

 or places, or meddle in the ejidal administration or 

 that of the Indian community. The last clause 

 would seem to set up a municipality within a 

 municipality, with respect to the Comunidad 

 Indigena de Quiroga which is also the ejidal 

 element in Quiroga. 



THE MUNICIPAL PRESIDENT 



The regidor selected as presidente of the ayunta- 

 miento is the municipal president and approximates 

 a mayor in some cities of the United States. 

 Since his term of office, as a regidor, is for 2 years, 

 often the same man will be president for two con- 

 secutive years. Neither he nor any of the other 

 regidores may be reelected until at least 1 year 

 has elapsed. The president must hold public 

 audience daily. He is the one who grants permits 

 for public meetings, as well as many other types 

 of permits. In addition to conveniug the cabildo 

 or meeting of the ayuntamiento, and presiding over 

 its deliberations, the president has the primary 

 responsibility for the carrying out of all the func- 

 tions of the ayuntamiento. Also, it is specifically 

 stated that he must maintain a brand or patent 

 book (Registro de Fierros, Marcas y Senales) in 

 accordance with the livestock and finance laws, 

 caU on people to help put out fires, see that the 

 municipal archives are kept in good order, and 

 serve as Honorary Judge of the Civil Status (Civil 

 registry of births, man-iages, and deaths) if no 

 special functionary is present. 



In earlier years the position of municipal presi- 

 dent went to one of the most respected and (com- 

 monly) wealthiest men of the community, and 

 never went to a resident of one of the pueblos or 

 ranchos, or to a member of the Comunidad 

 Indigena in the upper or Calvario part of Quiroga 

 town. This has not been true since the revolu- 

 tion, and especially during the past 14 or 15 years. 

 For its genealogic, sociologic, and political values, 

 we have compiled a list of the presidents since 

 1862. There is no single source, and some com- 

 plete gaps in the record exist. Fiom the minutes 

 or a£tas of the ayuntamiento, and from the various 

 books, papers, and credentials that the president 

 had to sign, we were able to obtain the names of 

 nearly all the presidents. 



