X894 
Oaxaeg. 
(Oaxaca) 
him that I had no intention of asking for any free service he told me 
to com© the next day for ray letter, I then told him that there was 
published by the state a pamphlet containing a list of plants and ani¬ 
mals of the state that I desired to get. He claimed to know nothing 
■' •. * A'. . • • *•;*- . .* , i • j.. 
of this but said he would make inquiries and let me have one sdth ray 
letter if such a publication existed. The next day when X called for 
my letter I was told by the clerk who gave me ray letter that such a list 
was published by the state and that I could buy a copy in the office of 
the state treasurer! This is the first instance since X came to Mexico 
as a representative of another government that the state officials have 
been so little desirous of forwarding my work that they grain* letters 
of ordinary recommendation only tinder a kind of halting protest and 
then wish me to pay for a small official publication. The governor 
here did not appear to have the slightest desire to forward ay work 
but merely to do just what was unavoidable, I was reminded very much 
of the kind of reception I had in Morelos although even there they ex¬ 
pressed great willingness to give me any publications of the state, I 
presume that little else can be expected from officials in out of the 
way states of this country, but I have had such civil treatment and 
apparent willingness to assist me in other states that it is rather 
disagreeable to meet the contrary, 
I have learned some curious details of election methods her© which 
are rather interesting as showing how they are conducted. Before the 
presidential election each little town in this state chooses its elect- 
tors who then go to the capital of the state and there cast their 
ballots for president. One of the electors ohosen in one of the towns 
about a day’s ride from Oaxaca was visited by the Jefe Politico just 
before time to go and told that it was best for him to claim that he 
was unable to go to the meeting on account of siokness. This man was 
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