Harrison's confirmation as
governor-general. It is not recorded that Mr. Bonsal rendered any
valuable service to the city on the voyage, or during the twenty-four
hours of his occupancy of his municipal post subsequent to his
arrival! Nor does it appear that he passed any examination before
his early promotion.
Following closely upon the removal of Mr. Welch came a demand for
the resignation of Captain Charles H. Sleeper, Director of Lands,
who was unquestionably one of the ablest and most efficient of the
bureau chiefs.
He had earned the ill-will of the _politicos_ by insisting that persons
authorized to make public land surveys, or other surveys on which
claims of title as against the government were to be based, should
know enough about surveying to make one correct survey when given
an opportunity practically to demonstrate their abilities under very
favourable conditions. He had also incurred the dislike of influential
_caciques_ by defending the occupants of small holdings on friar
estates from the rapacity of their rich neighbours, and by protecting
free-patent applicants and homesteaders when large landowners opposed
their applications in order to prevent their securing land, so that
they might the more easily be held as peon labourers.
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