The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-10-28
WARM PRAISE Of
TORREN5 SYSTEM
Mr.. Eugene Massio Speaks i'll Be-
half Of a Seeded
Reform.
EVILS OF PRESENT METHOD
Speaker Shows How, Undcr@Ncw
System, Farmer May Use
Property to Advantage.
EVILS OF PRESENT METHOD

Assembled in joint session the Chamber
Of Commerce and the Travellers Protcc-
tive Association Of 12ichmond, each re-
presented by u small but select com
pany Of members last night endorsed
the Torrents method of land registration.
pledged their hearty support to Mr..
Eugene c. Massie, leader OF the reform
movement, and called upon their repre-
sentntives IN the coming General As
sembly to exert all possible influence in
behalf Of the proposed new method.
Considering the completely OF tho sub
jcct under discussion the interest and
even enthusiasm manifested during the
evening was noteworthy as indicating
the feeling of calm business men to-
ward the present cumbersome land laws
and their desire to secure relief IN some
form from evils steadily growing. IN
vogue. AZ tho conclusion of Mr.. Missiles
address several gentlemen spoke brief
w. one or two making frank statements
of the experience they as procrty hold
ers had been forced to endure under
the present laws. 1t was then
sitting together unite in endorsing
the new system and In other
wise using their influence to secure
It's adoption. The following resolution was
proposed by Colonel John Murphy and
unanimously adoptcd:
Resolved, by the Chamber OF Com
merce and the Travellers Protective
Association OF the city of Richmond.
in Joint meeting assembled, That we
recognize the pressing need for re-
form of the land laws of Virginia, and
Il respectfully request those who Will
represent lis in the next Senate and
House of Delegates to exert all their
& influence in behalf of the Torrens
4 System, of 7 md Registration, 4I+tef
And we hereby authorize the presid-
ing officer of this meeting to appoint
a committee of five, whose duty It
shall be to circulate such literature
throughout the State as they may see
f1t for the promotion Of this cause
and who shall present this resolution
+ to the next General Assembly.
Mr.. Massie's Speech.
About sevcnty-five men were in the
hall during the evening. Mr., p. G. Leigh,
Jr., called tho meeting to order and pre-
scented Mr.. Massie, who, at once began
to speak. After reciting the history Of
land laws from ancient times, to the
present and pointing out the important
effects they have exerted In assisting or
retardng the development Of nations,
Mr.. Massie took up the systems now in
general use and more particularly that
system under which Virginia for long
years has been laboring. For this system
he had little to say that was good. He
referred frequently to the "wretched
system Of collection of taxes and the
odous "land-grabbers laws" and de-
clared the land books OF Virginia to be
unreliable and VIGOROUSLY Incorrect. =
The Torrcns System.
Against the evils Of the old systems
with its accommodating land books and
hazy records Mr.. AIassle placed the clear
and simple methods OF the Torrcns plan.
He explained the irttrlcacies OF the
new system, Indicating It's effect upon
the present laws, tho manner In which
IT would be put into being. and so on.
Its operation he summarized as follows:
list. A title Is examined once officially.
and confirmed by order Of court. That
ends the natter.
I'd. You are then given r certificate OF
title, which guarantees to all the world
that you have such title as is set forth
therein to the lands therein described
for example life estate, ora fee sim
pie. in whole or in part, free from en-
cumbraI,ces or subject to such encum-
br,nce. as are mentioned in the certt-
ficate. t
Sd. You can deal with this certificate
OF title almost as freely as with a Ger
tificate of stock; because everybody can
see from the certificate exactly what
your title is.
The Effect Of It.
Tho most striking thing In Mr.. Mason 3
snecch was his avowal that the Torrens
system would put real estate on foot.
Ing with personal property ana Would
add millions to tho business capital OF
Virginia. Referring to this matter ne
said ,.h1,
speaking, assessed Mt 343 81 millions o.
dollars. or nearly three times as much
as all the personal property returi'eu
G 20, lands and buildings.... sl76, 7os. O5b
CITY and town lands and build =, 400 DC,
ings NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 'o'N' ~
49,, ss4s. 100, BIG
su u,a the titles to all trese lands were
registered and all this properly ua ~ So
rendrd MARKETABLE and useful IN bu Us, Wi
What would 1t mean TO me s 5ime o make
fre. caculation, the whole banking e,p q
t tt'i Of he State consisting Of bank cap, !
tai. surplus and undivided profits, IS o ny
thirty millions, and the totGt ha = oniv II;
millions, or Just about 80 pei, cent, Of Us rs
total assessed value Of real estate e. = =. :
therefore, our lands we're conVertshII 'n na1,i
ready SECURITY TOT lOhllot :, N, nj,
tai Of Virginia would DO Increased liputi'
Others Speak.
Mr. SeSs MassIe e. had concluded his ,spee eSl
proper. Among these were Colonel IGN Ioh,
3. Purcell, Mr.. H. L. Ganeii GoloW Whit, Jo ~
Murnhy. Mr.. Ordway Fuller, NE. ,Wli,ia,ttt'
and others, Mr.. Massie himself 1requans
.ly vi took the floor again to reply 10 CUES
lions asked.
&c Valuable Paper Lost,
During the meeting held In the hsu Gham
nertificate, used by Mr.. Massie IN Mus
trating the operation OF the Iorrens , sys
tam in that country. was mlspinceu, Ini'
ma her, which was passed around ~ the nu
Hence may have been thonght!essly car
,.,ad III by some person who did not real
lee that Mr.. Masse wished Its return 10!
future use,
Election OF Delegates.
Mrs. Norman v. Randolph, president
of the Richmond Chapter, y, D, G., says
."rhere will be chapter meeting at Lee
Camp Nall Tuesday, October alst, at u
o'clock for the election OF delegates tf
tho convention Of the Virginia Diyisior
4 .1..i.,.. a., At. cty EOyember 9Th.