The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-05-08
NEW SYSTEM
MAY GO OVER
Committee Favors Torrens
Land Law.
BUT WANT MORE TIME
Hons. A. 9. Braxton, R. T. Barton and
Other Strong Lawyers Ask for the
Passage Of Bill, and Senator'S
Speak in It's Favor.
BUT WANT MORE TIME

b . il
The bill now pending In the House
and Senate to inaugurate the Torrens
system for registering land In Virginia,
will hardly be disposed Of until the fall
session Of the Genera: Assembly
The House committee will meet this
morning and will likely postpone tho
bill until the November meeting ct The
body. The idea seems to be that the
bill has gathered great strength from the
agitation 1t has had, but those who Ia
vor 1t do not think there should be ilatty
action.
The reform Is one that Is al most sLre
to come, and It Is believed II will be
adopted this fall.
Some of the House members who are
believe 1t should go over. are Speaker
Ryan, Messrs. Gent. Early, Duke, Lion,
r. s. B. Smith. Lasslter and Leake.
Mr.. Early says he favors reporting the
BILL but only that 1t may be more fully
considered.
vided the Jurisdiction be given the Cir
cult Courts.
SENATORS TALK.
Judge W. H. Mann gave. ouc tile fol-
lowing interview on the subject Srster-
day:
II favor the Torrens system. because
It will add to the value IL real c,tate
ready and cheaply used as bass Of
credit.
The system is not compulsory end
imposes no expense except upon those
who are willing to assume 1t. 5
Senator Bryant. In discussing the mat
ter, said:
The evils OF the present land laws are
80 manifest that any mea sure promising
only a prospect of their removal should
receive respectful attention. When, how
ever. the proposed remedy is not an ex-
pertinent in any sense, but has been test
ed by years Of practice under the most
critical observation OF friends and oppo-
ncnts, and has uniformly stood this test
to the point of having It's scope in several
Jurisdictions enlarged, it would seem an
entirely safe step for other Common
weGlths to take. No harm can be done
to any one by the passage Of the bill
before the General Assembly, because the
registration OF land, under its provisions.
is entirely optional with the landowner.
Rut the benefits that will accrue from Its
passage are believed by competent Judges
to be such that II given a fair trial and
not handicapped by amendments and con-
ditions which will prevent its full opera
ton. 1t will only be a question OF time
before the landowners of the entire State
will avail themselves OF It's provisions.
OTHERS ENDORSE. SIS
Mr.. W. s. Hopkins, Of Lexington, a
strong lawyer OF that section. has written
the following letter to Hon. j. NJ Quis-
enberry. asking him to support the bill:
Having investigated quite thoroughly
and to my satisfaction the Torrens sys-
tenn Of registration OF land titles. and
being interested in seeing the system
adopted In our State. take the liberty
OF writing to you on the subject, as l
understand there is a bill now pending
in one or both of the branches of our
General Assembly and being, as say.
after investigation, fully convinced that
the system is good one. I think this an
especially opportune time to have it in
corporated into our general laws. which
are now being revised, and would be
very glad II you would give the matter
some attention. and II your Judgment APP
proves. that you would lend your infiu-
ence and vote for the bill.
Hon. R. T. Barton, OF Winchester: Hon.
A. c. Braxton, of Staunton. and other
strong lawyers have written here, strong
ly urging the passage Of the bill, the Rich
mond Bar Associations representa- tives
favoring its passage. and were presented
In the Legisla ture yesterday.