The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-02-25
a STRONG PLEA.

we have the following letter from u
anrofessor IN one OF the Virginia Colleges,
4 1vho Is too modest to give his name 70
q the public. Indeed he states that MS
letter IS ..not for publication" but II is
50 clearly to the point that we take the
Il privilege of printing it. The letter ioiioWs'
i Editor Of the Times-Dispntch:
sir.-I have noticed several references
II inByour columns to bill Of Senator NC NC
s1lwaine's, providing for the Torren s, s 's
4 tom of registration Of titles to land, ana
\ i write to say$that T. think you are DOING
Z 4 great service, to the agricultural com
1r,unitios at least by tho Intelligent ana
thorough manner in which you are advo-
K eating this measure I have had large
a. opportunities for the past fifteen years ,
of observing the development OF asrlcui-
&tilre IN. Virginia, and 40 not hesl.ate ~
3nroyding for this system of land regis
&ttration is passed. It will do more for the
real business development OF those WIN
\ own agricultural lands, than al! the meas .aSs
lures combined intended to aid agrlcu,-
l6ture which have been put IN force IN ms
s state for tho past t1fteen years - !.e
+ farmer has long rested under srleVous
Il disadvantages which I do not presume
we're Intentionally laid upon him, but no
! q conservative and seldom reaches out
after new things, consequently, .While
/. other people have looked after their m
terests, he has been content TO poo on
and as result has grasped very llt .
of the benefits that have come IRON eiie
great Industrial awakening.
THE enactment Of such g. law as this
villa once make him the peer OF other
neople In regard to the availability OF
i,is property for credit, and will enable
/ him to furnish promptly, the hpsoluie
assurance Of the perfection ana ihViol-
ability OF his title when he wishes llo as us
+ pose of the same.
5sttSyo,, cannot overstnte the Importance OF
these facts and certainly hope that you on,
and other like philosophical writer's VIII
ntess this question until 1t reaches La :
NJ m bio issue at tho hands of our present
4 Legislature.
we do not see why there should be any
hesitation on the part Of the General AS
sembly to pass this bill. There is nothing
compulsory about it, 1t simply gives to
each and every land holder, who desires
.fo register his land and take advantage
of the provisions of the act, the privilege
3Eof doing SO. At first 1t will probably I'M
pose some little cost upon the State, put
it will be slight, and there is every rea-
son to believe that In short time me
act will be a revenue producer. The Tor
rens system Is not an experiment. 1t has
passed the experimental stage 1t has
been tested In other lands than ours and
lin some Of the States of the Union and
/ IS has proven itself to be eminently sue
4 cessful. In Massachusetts it has grown
in volume and ia growing in favor all the
time. This system in Virginia would
clear up many cloudy titles. but above
all 1t would give to every land-holder who
Il should register his land q certificate
( which he could use much the same as
bond. Many of these bonds would be ne
gotiuble at bank, and could be used as
collateral upon which to borrow money
and SO save the fees and the trouble, and
the red tahe and the publicity of land
loans under our present system j,
We believe that the establishment OF the
tTorrens system in Virginia would do more
II than any ono thing that the Legislature
could do to make real estate more desir-
able as an investment and to enhance
i it's value.