The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-05-12


Tho 1orrons Land system" a sys-
lem cf registering titles as distin-
guished from registering evidence OF
iitle such as deeds, which system
brings about our cumbersome, expens-
i've and uncertain abstract system.
rhe Torrcns' system had It's origin IN
Australia in 1854 lt first came to the
United states and received official
notice By Governor Russell of Massa-
chusetts whore IL is in force In its
fullest yig0r of any state in the Amer
can Union; although Il is in force In
modified form in the states of Cali
fornia. Colorado. Illinois, Minnesota.
Oregon and Washington and by the
Philippine Commission and acts of
Congress has been adopted in Haw.
lii and the Philippine Islands. a copy
of which last laws | have in my pos
session II was extended throughout
The German Empire by the code of
/ 1900 II is also used In Denmark,
1 Austria. and Hungaria and most Of
, the cantons of Switzerland the
county of London, England aud in most
Of the provinces of Canada; in fact,
/ in my opinion tne law as it Is In force
la the province of Ontario is the best
on this continent II is in force In 4
modified form in all OF these states
Notwithstanding the stubborn oppo
sltion with which it has been met by
the abstract companies and by land
attorneys When once understood it
is Irresistible. because Il is the one law
and the only one with which am
acquainted, upon which the richest
man in the state as well as the poor
( est IN the state unite their endorse
ments. 1t Is true it Is huriful to the
system and they fight It. It is hurt
FOL to the land LAWYER and of course
he fights it: however, for the first gen
GRAFTON it will assist the land lawyer
and give him an increased amomr Of
{ litigation that is, until the system is
completely installed, after which a land
suit involving title is practically un
I known Suits, OF course will occur
10 foreclose liens for taxes and for
ino loan of money, and also to pro
bate wills and estates, but the title
( Is nj every stage known 70 every citi-
zen who can rSad-not so with the
abstract system. by the method Of
( lbstracting generally in force in the
/ United States, everything Is uncertain
and attended with great expense. Any
farmer or business man desiring to
purchase land first demands Of the
Iiand owner TO procure an abstract
which usually costs Sl0o n page with
the minimum price of $500; .hare is
one page for every transfer, hence
I'm the course Of hundred years say
there may be 20 or 100 or more Of
these transfers each costing so cents
TO Sl00 age 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 alb
stract In the state of Kansas that
cost him Sl40O00. There was an alb
stract made oui in the City OF Mexico
n short while ago that weighed 500
pounds and cost about as many thous-
and dollars The next step OF the
purchaser Is 10 present that abstract
to a lawyer and retain him to look
1t over and render an opinion as to
the title The lawyer does so and gives
m opinion that may be good and IL
may be absolutely worthless; the man
goes upon the land, (perhaps it is un-
mproved) he builds home upon II
and after he is fixed and feels that he
Is safely anchored once in a home
Years rolled BY; a defect In the title
is discovered; the real owner sued him
Tor possession; he goes into court,
Is defeated IN the first trial. he sells
some of his personal property and ap'
peals the case and hires additional
! counsel; he loses again and goes TO
the Supreme Court where he loses not
only the personal property which he
had to spend for attorneys fees and
court costs, but loses his case and his
nome This IS not oyerdrawn, hun
dreds of occurrences of this kind have
happened. Il is not an exception even
to the rule, il IS the rule. Again, an
der the abstract 50 stem man desires
10 borrow some money quickly 20 save
him. perhaps from financial ruin; ne
goes to the bank, the bank Is afraid
Of the title, the bank has no certain
4 means of knowing especially &C the
I moment. perhaps by reason of not be
ing able TO get the loan when he had
landed security he meets with finan
dal ruin Now, tho Torrens' Sys
tenn rs the reverse, it Is not a regis
tratiDn Of deeds and evidence OF title
lt is an absolute register OF title
First. however. there must be tria
4 10 dotermine the ownership and thea
+ all deeds are cancelled and all excep
loans or liens upon the land. q certi
fieate is issued 10 the owner for tbs
4 decree and after that there is nevel
I but one outstanding certificate an'
4 that certificate shows every cOnditioI
4 Of title Any man as soon as he seei
4 the certificate and II Is marked 'Tor
4 rens Land knows that II Is good, i
IS just as sound and az safe as buy
: Ing q government bond; In fact th'
Wall Street Journal last spring sal,
/. THAT the Torrens' Land Certificate 4
: The safest security that could be mad'
Z by law" : have bui RECENTLY a letie
from the GogernorGeneral Of Ontario
3 in one OF the provinces of Capada D
& which he said 'of an tae many thing
! OF which we are proud IN this provlnc
j We are most proud OF orr Torrens
and Law" Now, suppose the holde
: of a Torrens' Certificate desired q
borrow some money upon a tract o
5 l60 acres of land. say $4,000 and hel