The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-10-27
LEGAL
SCHOOL
LAND
DEPT
[)E: TANS
PERFECT

For weeks past the Republican cam.
paign committee has been attacking
the conduct of the school land depart.
ment Speakers and newspapers
have told the people that tho loan de-
partment Nas being used for political
advantage; that few loans were being
made; chat the expense was terrific;
that no business was being done.
Some idea OF what the loan de.
partment Is doing can be CLEANED
from tho report Of ed. o. Cassidy
chief counsel 10 tho land commission.
ers.
Under date Of Septcmbcr &C. Mr.
Cassidy reports as follows:
To the lGon. Commissioners OF land
Office, Guthrie, Okla
Gentlemen: Below you win find q
statement OF the work OF the legal
department 10 tho commissioners Of
the land office OF the state OF Okla.
horna showing the services OF said
department in the examination of ab.
tracts of titie accompanying applica
tions for loans out of the permanent
common school fund This report IN.
cmdes from me opening OF the de-
parlmeat M TO and lnclu0ing Septein-
Der Il. 1908:
Total number OF abstracts re-
celyod for examination ....2,527
cotal number OF titles approved .SG5
Total number loans completed 1,430
Total number OF titles dlsap.
proved ......t..,....... 2l2
Iptal number OF abstracts re-
turncd for correction account
of either defects in abstract or
in the title ............. l22
Total numbcr Of abstracts re-
turned for correction account
OF defects appearing elther in
the abstract of the title, and
which were returned uncorrect-
ed and disapproved ....... 80
Total number of titles now In the
process of correction ........ 265
J beg further to report that fully 90
per cent of the titles to land offered
as security for loans now In the
course oe examination contain either
errors In the abstract or defects IN
The title, and before We can approve
ne Title We are compelled 10 have
lther the abstract corrected or the
-tc made perfect
We find that the titles to nearly all
Of the lands offered as security are
good, but on account of very many
errors made by abstracters in com
plllng and preparing abstracts, wo are
compelled TO return many OF the alb.
stracts to the applicant for the pur.
pose Of having corrections made In
the same.
We also find that by reason of care
( lessness ana incompetency on the
part Of persons who draft and prepare
/ the instruments OF conveyance IN the
transferring OF lands, that many er.
/ rors occur and we have followed the
policy that where II IS evident TO ms
/ that an error has been committed IN
the drafting and preparing OF such
! cOnveyanccs and that new instru.
ments can be obtained to correct such
errors, 20 advise the applicants and
| direct what Is necessary In order %
perfect his title and have him obtain
! corrected Instruments. This policy
/ embodied In this department has re.
/ suited In clearing up many titles for
| farmers who have applied for loans
and placing such titles In good condi.
tion and al practically no expense 10
the farmers.
q
whore titles are imperfect ami ne,
cessltate corrections. either IN the ah-
stracts or the titles this Of course
necessarily delays The loans and con,
snmes a great deal OF time IN perfec
| ing either The abstract or CORRECTING
| the title, and OF course we are not
responsible for those delays but tho
benefit 10 the applicant is very great
as when Wc approve fho lille. We con-
Hder that our work IA such ahat the
applicant will have no further trouble
with his title and the cOnyeyanaes and
transfers connected herewith up TO
and Including the date OF the loan
/ made 10 such applicant by the state
And again, many Of the titles that
We have caused 20 b. corrected and
I perfected would hayo la al probabil
1 iiy remained IN an Imperfect condi.
! tion for years % como had not the
applicant applied icT Q loan from the
state and thereby causing his tit,c "a
he Investigated and 10 nearly al
case where defects appear IN thg
tiilc where persons who executed and
delivered detective instruments orc
within easy reach Of The applicant
ana wii 3out much trouble. tho appsi-
cant ls able 10 obtain a corrected IN
strument whereas, had the dcfect5 N
such titles not been discovered unti
tle removal OF the perSous from tho
state. or the death OF such persons
who we're necrssaFy parties 10 TIE
correction would have made II neces