The Cordele dispatch. (Cordele, Ga.) 19??-1971, 1916-06-21
WOULD Clarity
LAND TITLE MIDDLE
SILL TO BE INTRODUCED AT THE
NEXT LEGISLATURE PROViD,
ING FOR CHANGE IN SYSTEM IN
USE IN GEORGIA..

earnest eHOrC IS gong TO De made 10
have passed in the general assembly
this year the pending land registration
act-drawn after a careful study of the
Torrens System-and those who are
behind the measure believe the efforts
has been objections 30 it heretofore,
investigation in the interval, since the
last session, has revealed the fact that
this is almost wholly due to the fact
that the system proposed in the pend
ing bill is not understood.
A brief explanation Of the bill intro
duced last summer, and known as the
land registration act, will, therefore,
be interesting to a great many GeOr-
gians just at this time. Especially so
as the bill will come up for early CON
sideration this summer session.
The bill is necessarily long. This
can be easily understood, however,
when one stops to consider the many
ransactions-some of them intricate
which are likely to arise in the life
of land title. 1t is affected by death,
marriage, trusts, disabilities, liens,
debts, membranes, tax sales and
many other conditions which may
prove more or less hazardous to a
prospective purchaser.
= = obi C
necessary to prepare law that would
meet and correctly dispose OF all these
contingencies. The commission ap-
pointed for that purpose, headed by
Judge Arthur G. Powell, has, in the
opinion Of a great many able lawyers.
succeeded i'll drafting The necessary
bill. In the report of the commission,
the following explanation Of the act is
given:
Explanation Of Purpose.
It is intended to provide:
First-A cheap, but thorough and
comprehensive procedure by which
anyone, who really owns a tract of
land, may have his title confirmed and
established by decree which will
stand in any court just as if it were
the states plat and grant issued to
him, and at the same time will make
it extremely difficult for one who is
not the true owner to register and
thereby steal someone else's land.
Second-A system Of so registering
the title that everything connected
with it or affecting il in any way such
hs mortgages, liens, homesteads, en-
ycumbrances and like matters, will ap-
tpear on q single page.
Third-Ownership Of land by GER
tificate which is conclusive as to the
ownership, but which shows on its
face all encumbrances put on the land
by the owner, and which, but being
taken to the clerks office at any time
and stamped with single entry, will
show that there are no judgments or
encumbrances against the land, other
than those shown on the face of the
certificate.
Fourth-A method by which land
can be transferred almost as simply
as ordinary commercial paper, and by
which it can be used with as great
facility as if it we're a stock or a bond
of equal value.
F'ifth-A system which, while it does
30. altogether free the title from those
troublesome and oftimes expensive
proceedings, which are brought about
voluntary transmissions, simplifies
these matters and provides a sure way
Of ascertaining at all times who is the
true owner, Notwithstanding the en-
tanglements that may have occurred.
Sixth-A system that is simple,
thoraugh comprehensive
Seventh-A system that is purely
voluntary
Ii has been conceded by the lawyers
Of the state that Judge Powell has no
superior as land title lawyer He
has made speciality Of that line Of
practice for years, and his ability
is nowhere better shown than in the
presentation of this bill. He also had
able assistance in the other two mem
bers Of the commission, Judge r.. N.
HoltZclaw of Houston county and Hon
S. NJ Turner of Brooks county. In the
report Of the commission credit for
valuable assistance is given Hon
Thomas S. Fielder Of Bibb county, who
was attorney general Of the state for
two terms. Mr.. Fielder spent several
days with the commission in the prep
aratiCn of this act.
The farmers are very much interest
ed in this act, as it will enable them
to use their land as collateral for
loans, which can be made more readily
and at a lower rate of interest
The Georgia Bankers Association in
dorsed the bill at their recent meeting
in Macon, for the reason that it re-
moves all doubt from land titles and