Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1905-12-13

since May L, 1901. Nova Scotia has
recently adopted the system; and
a similar system of title registration
has been in operation in Prussia
since 1872. 1t has been proven to
be suited to old as well as was as
new countries, 20 monarchial as
well as democratic institutions, to
large and complicated holdings, to
extensive estates and wild lands.
as well as to small tracts and city
lots.
The TOrrens Syetem has fonnd
congenial soil in the United States
in Illinois, California, Massachu-
sets, Minnesota. Oregon, and Col
orado: and the Federal Government
has established it in Hawaii and
the Philippine Islands. In addi-
ton to this, Arkansas, the District
of Columbia, Georgia. Iowa, Ken
lucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michi-
gan, Mississippi, Missouri, Mon
tana, Nebraska, New York.
North Dakota, PENNSYLVANIA,
Porto Rico, Rhode Island, Tennes-
see, Texas, Utah, Washington,
West Virginia and Wisconsin have
taken steps more or less pro-
nOunced for its adoption. The
question is:
Shall Virginia keep up with the
procession, or, hating, lag behindl
If Virginia wishes to preserve
an honorable place in the march of
progress, she must do justice to
her land owners. The spirit of
our land laws is the spirit of modi-
aeval oppression and restriction.
We are living under superan-
nuated system. originated by Nor
man lawyers under William the
COnqueror, and venerable only as
relic of an antique age. Feudal
methods are not suited to this age.
Laws made when lands were held
under royal grants and sold for ten
cents an acre are not suited to the
business methods and commercial
requirements of this day and gen
Grafton.
If YOU try to sell your land or
borrow money on it, the first ques-
ton Is:
HAVE YOU GOT A GOOD
TITLE2
No one will buy nor lend you
money without being satisfied about
your title. 1t must be examined
10y n lawyer, and you have to pay
the bill.
1t does not matter how often the
title has been examined before. il
has to be re-examined every time
new deal is made.
The same old titles are examined
over and again, and every time YOU
have to pay the bill.
\ conservative estimate. based
upon the returns from the county
clerks throughout the State, shows
that the people of Virginia paid
more than $42O.OOO.OO for abstracts
of titles to lands in 1904.
This is nearly as much as was
spent upon all the public schools
in the 100 counties of our State.
and more than half of what was
spent for public education in every
city and county in the Common
wealth.
This heavy and perpetual taxon
the people will be saved by the
Torrens System of Land Registra-
ton.
1t Is not only expensive. but it
takes days weeks to make an
examination to title, and so many
difficulties are encountered that
business men frequently have not
the time to bother with transactions
involving so many problems.
All this makes land hard and slow
to handle, and men hesitate to bury
capital in lands.
The TOrrens System will make
your land merchantable. 1t will
convert lands into a quick asset and
render them available as a source
of ready commercial credit.
1t operates in the following
manner:
1. a title is examined ONCE
officially, and confirmed by order
of court. That ends the matter.
and cuts out the endless examina-
tions of titlenow necessary. Your
title is registered, and you have
made permanent Improvement,
which will last as long as the law