The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1907-03-08

Having an abiding faith IN the final
triumph Of right, and believing that the
people will demand what is RICH, when
they understand the issue, the follow
ing editorial from a late number Of the
Seattle Post-Intelhgencer on the Tor
rens land law is reproduced. Il is
clear, sound, and 10 the point. With
q clear understanding Of the immeasur-
able benefits and saving 10 the people,
nineteen out Of every twenty voters,
without regard 10 parties, would rise up
and demand that the Legislature enact
the Torens system Of land transfer:
A bill for the establishment in this
state Of a modification Of the Torrens
system Of registration Of land titles is
before the legislature, but little interest
seems 10 be taken in its passage, while
there IS active opposition 70 il on the
part Of those who would Be adversely
affected should il become q law.
The Torens land system is a good
one, which makes slow progress IN
adoption in the United States owing TO
the lack Of general interest IN il. YET
il is a reform Of the highest possible
value in insuring certainty Of title to
lands and in facilitating and making
inexpensive their transfer. Ii is Ger
tain Of adoption whenever the public
awakens 10 its advantages. The Wash
ington Legislature would probably per
form a valuable public duty if it should
introduce the system now instead Of
waiting the time when the public de-
mand for the institution Of the reform
becomes SO great that il will no longer
be politically safe TO pass the ques-
ton by.
Briefly, the Torrens land system per
mits Of the owner Of piece Of real
property proving his title before reg
istrar and having the title recorded in
his own name. A title SO recorded IS
impregnable TO all attack thereafter.
Transfers OF title thereafter are effected
by simple entry OF the fact upon the
registration books, without the passage
Of deeds, without examination Of title
BY attorneys and without securing and
paying for an elaborate abstract, giving
details of every instrument in the chain
Of title from the time Of the original
patent.
The system is simple, safe, econom-
ical and efficient. II violates hoary ira
ditions, renders unnecessary the ser
vices Of attorneys or conveyancers in
transferring real properly, reduces the
volume Of public records OF transfers Of
real property to an absolute minimum,
lessons the number Of tax-eating public
servants in the same process and de-
prives abstractors of title Of the very
profitable business which they have
created thru making transcripts Of por-
tons of the public records.
incidentally and by reason OF the
facts cited above, il relieves those who
buy or sell real property from the enor-
nous volume of unnecessary tax which
they pay TO private individuals to carry
out transfers under the present crude,
cumbersome and antiquated system.
II the Torens system were in effect
transfers Of real property could be
effected at a 1.-THE of the present cost.
The interests opposed 10 the adoption
of the system are compact, organized
and represent very small fraction OF
the public. They are alert TO their
own interests. which would be injured
by a simplifcation Of land transfers.
The public at large groans over the
cost Of the present expensive system OF
transferring lands, but does not seem
awakened to the fact that, when the
legislature chooses to act, the simple,
cheap system can readily be put into
effect"