The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-01-31
THE SYSTEM.

dollars worth Of SLCch - oiJ
corporation. ne can sell ii without eS-
pense or he can 50 10 q panh Gnu
without cost or delay borrow money
on il. If he owns y farm worth d
Thousand dollars, and just as Naiuaoie
as the bank stock. he cannot sell :
without the expense OF elnplo>lhS u
lawyer to Investigate Il title n there
is the COS, Of writing the deed and
registering il. II he wishes 70 borro"
money on it, the same expense ah4
trouble must be experienced. Inc
TorTens system is designed TO remedy
these handicaps on land.
Two years ago the Legislature au-
thorized the Governor to ppol a
committee To study the Torrens sHS-
tenn ana report. He named a COM
mittee of thoughtful and capable men,
Their report is printed in todays pa
per. Let everybody read it.
As showing the deep interest taken
in this question, the following extract
is given from u letter received yesteT-
GAY III VI NidI liz i. ~ ~
Of the Progressive Farmer, ~ho is
now abroad:
II was Very much Sratitlet TO see
YOU come out in advocacy Of the Tor
renS system OF registering land titles
last and / am hoping YOU
Will lend the powerful support of IN
News and Observer to the measure
when it comes up in the Legislature.
! find that the United states Govern
ment has put the plan into force with
gratifying results in both Hawaii and
the Philippines, and in Manila last
week I had a most interesting talk on
the subject with the Secretary Of Com
merce, Judge Elliott. He was a MEM
Der OF the Minnesota Supreme Court
when the law Was adopted in that
State and speaks enthusiastically of its
workings both in his home State and
the Philippines"
The Asheville Gazette-News, writing
upon the excellent report submitted
by Senator Gotten and his associates.
says:
I'VE have in North Carolina, a sys-
tenn of title record that is, as every
body knows, IA very heavy tax upon
IN j VI lSdI ~ - AIAA
bersome and u~neconomic. and by rea-
son Of its imperfect workings, the as
set value of real estate is low, COM
pared with its intrinsic value.
Here is a traditional system that
admittedly Expresses the people. Here
is a condition so burdensome to the
people as a whole, that it should not
be tolerated if q safe remedy can be
found.
when such a condition Is set forth,
beyond doubt. revolution IS properly
in order. 1t is a safe rule that hunan
invention and human ingenuity can
measurabiy correct the failures Of
man-nlade machinery of all sorts.
Testimony. the experience of other
States. seems clearly TO Indicate that
the principle embodied in the Torrens
System Of this title guaranty is a very
valuable one. This legislative COM
mission, after two years of investiga-
ton. recommends that the Legislature
of North Carolina enact some such
law
The Mount Airy News. like most
other papers. favor q better system
OF land title. 1t says:
1T IS generally understood that it
is unsafe to buN land in his part of
the State without getting a lawyer to
examine the title. Nearly half the
land in the country has some defect in
the title that might lead to Il long and
costly contest in the courts to perfect
the title or maybe to save the land. 1t
is common in this part OF the country
to get a lawyer to make an abstract Of
title to r piece Of property and this
requires much time searching the rec
ords and costs the man who has the
work lone from five TO fifteen or tpen-
~ dollars, owing to the time that is
required. And often after all This
work is done some flaw in the title
is found. II the purchaser declines
TO AXE the property when he sees
that he may be buying a lawsuit for
his money. Some better system is
needed and needed badly. The law
yers always get credit for taking care
of themselves in all legal matters. and
if this charge is true, no doubt they