The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-10-03
!. THE TORRENS
LAND SYSTEM f;
lsS " # u u " " " u n ss s " X ss s. s. q IS IS rs Is y y

Now that Roiers are beginning to
study state propositions TO b. toted
on November 9. the speech Oh Hon.
WIN. II. Murray on the Torrens lana
ssystem, s'a,S, question no. 9. vii, be
af 'utertail fsrs s,
Gentlemensl ! desire TO explain Tint
system Of land registration known as
The TorrenE Land System" sys-
tom Of registering titles as distin-
gdishcd from, registering evidence Of
titl5 such as deeds. which system
brings about our cumbersome, expen-
sive and uncertain abstract system.
The Torrens' system had It's origin in
Australia In 1854. It first cane to the
United Statos and received official
notice BY Governor Russell. Of Massa.
chusetts. where It IS IN force In its
fullest yigor Of any state IN the Amer.
lean Union; although II is in force IL
modified form in the states OF Cali.
fornia, Colorado, Minnesota. Orc.
gon and Washington and by the
Philippine commissions and acts of
congress has been adopted IN Hawaii
and Enc Philippine islands, q copy Of
which last lIyws have In my posses
sion. II wasiextendel throughop, the
German empire by the code of 1900
1T Is also III Denmark Austria and
Hungaria ana most Of the callions OF
Switzerland. the county Of London,
England. anti in most Of the provinces
of Canada; II fact, In my opinion The
law as It is.in force In the province
Of Ontario Is the best on this conti-
ncnt. It is IN force in some form
in all OF those states Notwithstanding
the stubborn opposition with which q
has been met by the abstract com,
panies and by land attorneys When
once understood IL is irresistible, be-
cause II Is the one law, and the only
ono with which I am acquainted. upon
which the richest man IN the state as
well as the poorest in the state unite
their endorsements. II Is true It is
hurtful to the abstract system and
they fight H. II is hurtful to the
land lawyer, and OF course, he fights
f.: however, for the first generation
Il will assist the land lawyer and give
him an Increased amount Of litigation
that Is, until the system is complete
ly installed. after which land suit
involving title is practically unknown.
Suits. of course, viii occur to fore
close liens for taxes and for the loan
of money, and also TO probate wills
and estates, but the title is at every
stage known 10 every citizen who
can read--not so with the abstract
system. BY the method of abstract
ing generally in force in the United
States. everything is uncertain and a.
tended with great expense. Any
farmer or business man desiring to
purchase land first demands OF the
land owner to procure an abstract,
which usuuaily costs s1.00 page with
the minimum price Of $500; there is
one page for every transfer, hence
in the course OF hundred years say
there may be 20 or 100 or more OF
these transfers each costing sc cents
to S1.00 page; every step since the
beginning of the sale Of that land Is
recited in an abstract. A friend OF
mine recently, told me Of one abstract
In the state of Kansas that cost bin
$4,000. There was an abstract
made out in the City Of Mckee a short
while ago that weighed 500 pounds
and cost many thousands Of dollars,
The next step Of the purchaser is to