The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1913-12-27
GRANGE TACKLES
BIG PROBLEMS

OF propertytransfer, home rule and
$1,000,000 for the Maryland Agricul-
tural College were discussed at the
sessions of Maryland State Grange,
held in Odd Fellows Hall, Baltimore,
this week
President Harry j. Paterson, of the
Agricultural college, who is State
Master of the Grange, called attention
especially in his address to the i'm
perative necessity of a system of
rural credits whereby the farmer
needing money for the conduct of his
business from time to time may have
the use of land bond against his pro-
pretty upon which he could borrow
quickly at little cost in addition to the
regular rate of interest and for only
such time as he actually needs the
money.
At the night meeting Prof. F. B.
Bomberger talked along the same
line, but argued that the substitution
of the Torrens system, for the present
method of recording and transferring
land titles was necessary to make a
plan of rural crelits feasible. He said
that at present the farmer who needs
money must go through the extended
process of having the title to his pro-
perty searched and accepted by an at
torney before he can borrow money. If
this condition were to obtain under a
system of rural credits, Professor
Bomberger argued, the attendant ex-
pense of borrowing a relatively small
sum on a land bond and the delays
would tend to make the credit system
impracticable.
The speaker explained that the Tor
rens system, in effect, provides that
once the title to property is search
ed by the proper officials and recorded,
the holder of the property and his sue
cessors always have proof of title in
a certificate. This would be immed-
lately available when a loan was de-
sired and the expense or delay of an
other examination of title would be
done away with.
William II. Maltbie for Home Rule.
William H. Maltbie, who followed
Professor Bomberger and devoted
most of his address to home rule, cit
ed an instance which had occurred in
his law office to illustrate the cost up
on the farm holder when he wants to
borrow money for short time. He
said that man who owned property
worth $4,000 borrowed $500 on it for
a year, with the idea that the cost
would be 6 percent. Actually, Mr..
per cent, taking into account charges
for title searching, recording, etc
Speaking on the home rule question
Mr.. Maltbie said it ought to be fun
damental principle that every com
munity should legislate for itself in
matters affecting only itself. That,
he argued, would insure the best leg
islation because it would give oppor-
tunity for intelligent discussion of To-
cal needs by people who knew condi-
tions. And it also would relieve the
Legislature, he SAID, of the necessity
of action upon a vast body of local
measures of which it knew nothing
and could know nothing.
"The Legislature of Maryland can
no more legislate wisely for the coun-
ties on county measures said Mr..
Maltbie, "than Congress could legis-
late for the State of Maryland on
Statemeasures."
College Needs Explained
State Master Patterson explained
what Maryland Agricultural College
is doing and what it could do if better
equipped and asked that the grangers
get behind the move for $1,00O,OO0 for
the college.
The grange adopted resolutions
commencing the work Of the college
and approving of the big fund for the
institution.