The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-10-24

Now that voters are beginning to
study state propositions TO be voted
or November 3. the speech OF Ron.
wm II. Mureay on TIC To~rens land
system. s'a,e question No ., Vii. be
ar lnteu,s
Gentlemen: desire TO explain that
system OF land registration known as
~The Torrens' Land System" a sys-
TEN Of registering titles as distin-
guished from registering evidence of
title such as deeds. which system
brings about our cumbersome, expel-
sive and uncertain abstract system.
The Torrens' system had It's origin in
Australia in 1854. II first came 10 the
United States and received official
notice by Governor Russell. Of Massa-
chnsotts, where Il is in force in its
fnllast vigor of any state in the Amer
lean Union; although It is in force In
modified form In the states Of Caii-
fornia, Colorado, Minnesota, Ore
gon and Washington and by the
Philippine commission and acts o.
congress has been adopted in Hawaii
end the Philippine islands, a copy OF
which last laws have in my posses
sion. II was extended Throughout, the
Herman empire by the code OF 1900.
II Is also In Denmark, Austria and
liungarla and most OF The cantons OF
Switzerland, the county Of London,
England, and In most of the provinces
OF Canada: IN fact, IN my opinion the
law as q Is IN force IN the province
Of Ontario Is the best on this conli-
ncni II Is Ia force IN some form
in all OF these states notwithstanding
the stubborn opposition With which u
has been met by the abstract COM
.panlcs aud by land attorneys, When
once understood Il IS lrrcslsuble. be
cause Il IS the ono law, and the only 1
one with which { am acquainted. upon |
which The richest man IN the state as /
well as the poorest in the state unite I
their endorsements II Is true 81 IA /
nurtful TO the abstract system and
they fight It. Il is hurtfnl TO tho
land lawyer, and OF course, he fights
it; however. for the first generation
Il viii assist the land lawyer and give
him an increased amount OF litigation
that Is, until the system Is complete
" Installed. after which n land suit
title Is practically unknown.
Suits. OF course. will occur to fore
.l5se liens for taxes and sos tho loan
,l money. and also to probate Wills
1rd estates. but the title is at every
Stage known 10 every citizen who
ran read--not so with the abstract
system. by the method Of abstract
Ing generally In force in the United
1iates, 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 usually costs Sl.00 a page with
the minimum price OF $500; there is
one page for every transfer, hence
IN the course OF a hundred years say
there may be 20 or 100 or more OF
these transfers each costing 80 cents
to sl.00 page; every step since the
beginning OF the sale of shat land is
recited In an abstract A friend OF
mine recently told me OF one abstract
in the state OF Kansas that cost him
81 10000. There was an abstract
made out in the City of Mexico a short
while ago that weighed 500 pounds
and cost many thousands Of dollars.
The next step OF the purchaser Is to
present that abstract to lawyer and
retain him 10 look II over and render
an opinion as to the title, The law
Yer does so and gives an opinion that