The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-03-15
LAND TRANSFER SYSTEM.
Drew Of Kaufman Finds Objections
to the Torrens Plan.
TEN SPECIFICATIONS AGAINST 1T.
ecxtrnvawanre, Corporate Power, No
saving 20 the People, NO Neces-
sjty for II. IneGuitable.

Austin, Texas, March l3.--hepresent-
alive Drew Of Kaufman county. member
of the Joint committee to consider the Tor
rcns system OF land transfers by certi-
fcate, offers the following as his opinion on
the system and its effects:
Here are what appear to me to be some
of the effects that would follow the enact
ment into law of the Torrens lang registra-
tion system in Texas.
1. II would create two more county offi-
Gals, to be provided with liberal mot to
say extravagant) salaries. viz. registrar
Of deeds and an examiner of titles, the last
OF which should be a nrst-class land law
yer The people would be required to pay
two more men about twice as large a sal
ary as such men could make to save their
lives at any private business they could
follow 1t viii not do Ia say that we could
get along without the registrar Of deeds
provided for in this Law by having our
county clerks, who at present record the
deeds, etc, to perform the duties required
OF such registrar. Our county clerks now
have in their hands as many different lines
after. without charging them with the bust
ness Of keeping n land title office. II seems
that the county clerk has so much 20 do
now that he can not keep the account Of
all fees collected IN his office.
.. THIS law is but another stroke OF cor
poratc power al individual effort and en-
terprisei IL requires the state To confscate
the property OF all the abstractors OF title
IN this state and TO set IN an abstract
onico To- every organized county in The
State. What Is 10 he the effect OF the con-
tinued crushing q! the individual and odu-
eating the people to look 20 the state for
everything his creating Of new offices
and providing large salaries for the offi-
ceiSi VIII 10 not produce an almost uui-
Nersai and continuous struggle for Office,
and planning and schemmg fcr fayors
from the government ls not the tendency
In that direction strong enough already?
D. You VIII see from section S3 OF the
Torrens law OF Chicago that lt viii be
virimiiy adding au ahs.rac' office 80 the
present system OF registration Before the
registrar aud examiner OF tides rouil make
the certificate required by section ss the
counties would have 20 provide them with
The books demanded hv section ST. These
books would constitute n complete abstract
OF the titles % all lAnds and tewu lots IN
the eoun'y-lus' such ss the abstrpctors
have prepared az great cost This would re-
quire an immense outlay Of money o. start
the sysion. which money would have to he
raised tY direct taxation No good reliabl,
land lawyer would make certificate as 20
title without access 10 such books.
II would not be less extensive TO land
owners after IL were f1lly lnauguraied than
the present system lou NIL ST., from see
themselves 70 furnish the county with an
ton rs th4t af-or the u..nple haa faxed
abstract office tito least ampuut for .,,hich !
an iniitidual couid sct /, certittcitr as 10 I
the condition OF his lido w,aflf h.. ar and
for each transfer thereafter hiei fnrt,a
ing certificate. 49, AID for each decd on