The Detroit times., 1913-01-13
lAbstyaetpa WHfzHever
Favor THIS Ferris Idea

LANSING. Mich, Jan. 1a-Among
the many Republican measures en-
bodying the recommendations OF Gov
ernor Ferris message are two identt
cal bills for the adoption OF the Tor
rens system OF registration OF land
titles. These were introduced by
Reps. Martz, OF Detroit, and Wieden-
Teller, OF Van Buren,.
The connection OF red tape and ex-
pense with the transfer or real estate
is proverbial BY the Torrens system
such transactions become as simple as
the selling OF load OF hay.
II one OF these bills becomes law,
any man who wants 10 have his farm
or lot registered can get hearing In
court and upon presentation OF salts
factory evidence, he is given a certin.
cate of ownership that Is backed by
the state. When he sells the property.
be turns over this certificate and the
purchaser gets new one from the
proper court official. There Is no
searching out Of titles because the
courts decree is final.
A nominal fee or SO is proposed for
each transfer.
The charges OF private companies
under the present method OF guaran-
teeing titles are often burdensome and
various shifts are resorted TO TO avoid
them.
Several years ago group OF men
In New York sought TO form COM
pany for the mutual Insurance OF
titles, James Murtha, now senator
here from Detroit. was their attorney
They found" said Senator Murtha.
that they could do for themselves at
cost OF $29 the service for which
abstractors were charging them 500
Probably the cost would be still less
under the. Torrens system. II looks
like q good reform 10 me.
Take the big abstract companies OF
Detroit You cannot safely buy prop
erty without their assistance OF
course, they have spent money IN
building up their plants, and l would
make no war on wealth. but look 1t
the enormous earning power on which
they pay no taxes. Those earnings
are largely monopoly profits.
The assertion that titles will not be
as safe under the proposed system is
false. They viii not depend upon any
private corporation, but Will be de-
rived directly from the state which Is, |
always the final authority"
Advocates OF the Torrens system l
also point TO the universal satisfac- I
ton It has given in the few states and |
cities Of this country in which II has !
been installed. and to the fact that no |
where has II been abandoned.
AS long ago as 1902, the recorder OF
the court OF land registration OF
wrote, People who
have their land registered seem TO be
entirely satisfied with the advantages
accruing 20 them under the land regis
trAfion net ana return to- ffie other
petitions. From a business standpoint
that is really the practical and ulti-
mate test Of any system which seeks
TO. supplant or improve a present es-
tablished one.
IN making a sale OF registered land,
Il Is entirely practical TO start and
consHmmate the transaction on the
same day. As the system grows, this
Is an item which will be OF very great
TO the business commun-
tiles OF the state In times or sudden
stringency In the money market or OF
panic That Is. II tends to make real
estatelwha business men cali a quick
asset
1t is also argued that the simplifca-
ton OF land ownership will help the
poor and illiterate In acquiring It.
-.v--..-. -------s $780, $50 t..- SCOTT.