The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-12-18
DaOPosEs THE ToRRENs SIS.
Uspressntativs James Norton Discus
- Measure for the Relief of Land
Owners.

Courier:
have read with interest what your
Uogrespondent. b. b. Sellers, and
seheu. and the editor OF The News
and Courier have said pro and con as
- the repeal Of the law creating argi-
eultural iisns
have a method for the considera-
e>on Of the next session OF the gen.
eral assembly for the registration Of
1and. which. II adopted. will put all
md owners In such position In the
- OF their lands as a collateral for
credit that all liens for agricultural
I usesqsities will have passed. Only the
1Asdlsss viii not be directly benefited.
~ No man has q title to any land in
- state. We have evidences only
- TILES Land Is tho best and the
0fsss property we can own--better
tAAn bank. cotton mill. railroad or
uehsr corporate stock companies. 1t
= better than State or Unitsd states
bsnds. only that we have no lies for
+ eur lands. while we own absolutely
xaecks and bonda The ownership for
( 1nae oan and should be as fun. free
md absolute and easily trcnstr,r RI as
- stock In any hank IN the state. and
- but little more cost and inconvsn-
osncs and delay. II the terrible In
snbps- burden nj examination and
1Ransfer Of title to lands could r. got
~ rid Of, lands would appr ,ci,sre In
\ va1os: besides Il would maps lands
- valuable for commercial 20 Il to
ths same extent locally as DO his O, a
aacks are now.
~ cost to land owners Ia scrth
Carolina for transfers. mortgages. etc,
wsii reach anywhere from an O tima,-
- cost OF 100000 to $4,000. No
enlciai means OF ascertaining the
enact cost to land owners for these
sxpenses con be had. TIL, bes. In
formation possible In the State 4 Viz
sinia ran these charges to ,ver $780,
600 In two-thirds OF the counties per
annum. tD
The system OF recording land titles
known as the "Torrens" win free us
ncm these expensive Investigations,
ena sive us absolute and unquestion-
able titles with no power or possibility
- going hack two. i've twenty or a
handred years 70 investigate titles.
There was Introduced by the writer
- the last session OF the general as
ssnbly bill providing for this sys-
esm Of LAND registration and It will
eeme MP for consideration early In the
usssior OF 1905.
The object OF this communication Is
not to-. 20 into the details OF the bill.
but to suggest that more good VIII
eeme TO the farmer by the passage OF
sA's bin than the repeal pf dozen
agricultural lien laws.
The bill introduced Is largely the
- before tho v'rs.aia general as
ssmbly and the laws OF Massao ohusetts
On this subject. A Land Court is
> provided for the purpose of investi-
oAting and settling all questions of
tAtle 20 lands This IL not made obli-
ontory upon any land owner but pro-
vtdes system OF application. investi-
gAfion. DEGREES and registration Of
1and when the Court has decided all
Ssestions OF title. This title Is made
ansclute. irrevocabie and final A IL
tss indeed; no mere evidence OF title.
Certificate OF title is given. and made
anpie and easy OF transfer. and
changes are made easily where part Is
soid on OF any given tract of land.
The registrar OF this court for I'LL.
aob writes that the banks find these
csrtincates OF hand title as valuable
csiiateral as they have when thus ad-
juseed.
The proposed law for this State COW
ers all the possible features OF land
title transfers. Inheritance liens. taxes.
etc.. that the hest legal talent OF Mas
achusetts and Virginia could co
mand
Senator Stackhouse, OF Marion, in
troduced the same bill I'm the senate
n that on the house calendar. / would
b glad II the facile pens OF the editor
'ef The News and Courier and Capt.
Ben II. Sellers would penetrate the
Torrens system of land registration
( and give light and relief to the owners
OF lands In this state. Adopt this sys-
tam Of land registration. change the
. constitutional three mills tax into a
minimum levy of say s75O.0oO. to be
Increased AZ the pleasure of the peo-
pie and the demands OF education,