The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-02-27

Alt' 5&s'tt7a ~ $40 S,t ------------ X
"A Few Words With Those Who
Will be Benefited by It.
". COUNTY 5TRDAsURERs AND SUR
vDYORs.
written for The Times Dispatch)
In The ,rimes-Dlspntch Of February
18th, 18th, o9d ana Goth nstants, this SUB
ject has been briefly discussed with ret-
erence to Q)farmers, (2) business men,
}(S) meE Of small means, and 90 county
clerks and sheriffs. To-day we wish to
bring It especially to the attention OF
tho county treasurcrs and surveyors.
REGISTRATION OF TITuIE.
Registration. Of tito is worry different
thing from recorda ton OF deeds. A deed
: is simply q contract between the parties,
and recordatlon5 adds nothing to 1t except
In so far as It gives constructive notice
OF tho contract to all the world. IT
there is any defect In the deed 1t Is not
cured by, recordGtion, but its recordation
actually perpetuates evidence of the de-
feet. And so, IL there Is any flaw IN
the title of the grartor, Il deed from him
does not mend It, though recorded IN the
most solemn and expensive manner. ~
deed only conveys the title of the grantor,
whatever that may be-good, bad or In
different: ard the only remedy the
grantee has If he gets a bad title. is that
after he has lost it, he may bring a suit
against his grantor to recover tho pur-
chase money under his warranty of
title. This is the only remedy he has
under our present laws, but he is per-
fectly protected under the Torrens sys-
TEN; for the TNrens system does not
content itself with recording evidences
of title. but registers the absolute title
and deals with the title itself in every
transaction.
ID .DLIN1UENr TANEs.
You can see, therefore. that rs title
registered under the Torrens system is
absolute and good against all the world,
1t can only be originally registered in
some judicial proceeding, which Will be
binding on all the world. And before
original registration can be made, al
delinquent taxes arc ascertatned and must
sbe paid Thus YOU start under the Tor
rens system with II title clear of taxes,
and this title will be kept clear undcr'the
provisions OF House bill No. "a. No mar
can be deprived of his property for de-
lirquent taxes under this bill without
the fullest notice: and no mans home
will ever be forfeited for taxes. If regis
tered under the bill. For as soon as
any registered land becomes delinquent
the owner is notified by the clerk of the
county or corporation, and he is given
ample time within which to pay, II
no doesn't pay within three months the
land is sold by the treasurer, subject
to the right OF redemption within two
years. And If the owner fails, or is
unable to redeem within two years.
2 final sale is then made by the treasurer
just az if he were trustee In n deed of ,
trust. The sale Is made on the premises,
after due advertisement In the news
papers, and absolute title is passed to
the purchaser The result Is that the
property will bring its full market value.
a sound article Is offered and II sound
price may be expected. And the owner
Will get whatever lie may be entitled to
out Of the proceeds of sale after paying
taxes mad charges, costs OF sale, and dis
charging any liens he may have made
or suffered against the property This
is just and equitable to tho State and
all parties concerned, but has never been
done In thie or any other State, so far
as we know, and was never suggested
until House bill No. o. was drafted
more than a year ago. Everybody knows
how unjust our present tax laws ure, and
how they work u practical forfeiture OF
the lands Of tho unwary and tho homes
OF the poor. But NO such forfeiture
could occur under the Torrons system,sas
proposed for Virginia. and this Common
wealth would have the honor Of again
being a leader among the nations IN cor
'recting ono Of the abuses of the cen-
turtles
COUNTY TREAsURERs
You will observe that these duties arc
TO be performed by the county trensu-
rcrs under House bill No. 81, and they
will be paid the same commissions that
trustees now get under deeds of trust,
to-wt per cent. on tho first $500 and
= per cert, op the balance OF the pro-
seeds OF sale. Isn't this fair and Just?
Isn't it right that these officers, elected
NV nor ybf,,i narmitteu
discharge this duty instead Of n State
collector of delinquent taxes, to be ip-
pointed by the Auditor of Public Ac-
counts and paid enormous commissions
rs is proposed by II bill introduced 4
few days ago in the House OF Delegates?
Every county treasurer should make UP
his mind on this question, and not oniS
write himself, but get his friends 70
write to senators and delegates, urging
them TO do all they can 70 secure the
passage of House bill No. ri and defeat
all opposing measures,
COUNTY, SURVEYORS,
Tho Torrcns system will mot only help
tho treasurcrs, as shown above, but VIII
also benefit the county surveyors. FOR
tho question of boundaries is an impor-
tant one. and in order that the court
may make no mistake IN registering q
title, House bill No Of provides thht
those who wish to have their titles regis,
tered must have their property surveyed
by the county surveyor. This Is proper
because the surveys should bo made by
ono man in each county, who VIII mus
become familiar with all boundary mes
and rot do Injustice to any one and the
county surveyor, appointed under the
Constitution to make official surveys "
the county IL tho proper man to DO THIS
work. Ills charges are reasonable, he
knows his people and they know nm.
and his surveys will be most accessible
TO those most interested in them
County surveyors nre thus deeply con-
cerned In the fale OF House bill NO 81,