Those laws existed, and most people found them legitimate. If you read the "Treasure of the Sierra Madre" closely, there's one scene where the protagonists see

Those laws existed, and most people found them legitimate. If you read the "Treasure of the Sierra Madre" closely, there's one scene where the protagonists see a group of riders, which the old guy, the leader of the gold miners, identifies as physicians that vaccinate all of Mexico against smallpox, by force, if needed: "Just show them your certificate of vaccination, and they will leave you in peace. But if you haven't got on, they'll catch you and vaccinate you." You don't get the sense the author condemns the practice. It's a strong statement from an anarcho-syndicalist like Traven. At least he was aware of the fact that everyone lives downstream of someone. With today's libertarians you get the strong notion that they imagine each of them living in their own bubble in Low Earth Orbit.