Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-02-10
AT IOWA CITY.

Ilowa City Citizen.1
four hundred farmers visited the
Iowa City Community Center Satur-
Day. according to the statement of
custodian u. B. Doty.
| Inc attendance in the evenings is
very small. Either the men Of the city
40 not need such a meeting place or
nave not yet Become accustomed to
the idea
But the farmers commend the idea
and use the conveniences Of the new
institution in large numbers.
All or which shows how difficult 1t
is to know in advance just what will
be a popular movement
TITLE LAWS Need CHANGE.
| CCedar Falls Record.]
! Iowa laws governing titles are very
much in need Of revising. In fact the
Record believes that the time has come
for the people of the state to demand
relief from the present cumbersome
and expensive system Of determining
ownership of real estate and that some
such a law as the Torrens law should
be enacted. The present system Is not
| only cumbersome and expensive but 1t
unduly delays the transfer of real es-
tate, the making of farm loans, and
puts into the hands of ahstractors a
million dollars per year that ought to
stay in the pockets Of the land own
ers of the state. AS matter of fact
but for the active lobby maintained by
the abstractors' association the law
, would have been enacted years ago.
OF course the abstractors are interest
ed in having the present system per-
petuated. 1t makes for a big business.
Abstracts are getting to resemble a
years collection Of stale magazines
and title to a lot costing a few hum
dred dollars oftentimes costs half as
much as the lot. Lawyers never agree
as to the correctness OF these mazes of
misinformation and each one extracts
fee from the purchaser or owner for
his opinion as to its vulnerabilty.
At the Last session Of the legisla-
ture a bill introduced by Representa-
tive Green, Of Grundy county, was
killed in the senate after passing the
house. The lobby put it to sleep
quietly and Iowans sat back and liked
it,
Before you vote for candidate for
the general assembly at the primaries
in June, wouldn't it be we'll to find
out just how he expects to vote on
matters that interest you? Take. for
instance the Torrens law. And 1t
might be we'll to find out whether or
not he can be depended upon to vote
for the repeal Of the insurance law.
HEPBURN IN CERRO GORDO.
MASON City Times.l
At meeting Of the board Of super
visors Of Cerro Gordo county held Jan.
I, 1851. composed of the following
mcmbers: F. Randall. Of Mason town
ship; J. J. Rogers. of Geneseo; A. c.
Owen, Of Owen. John NJ. Hunt, John
Gardner, of Lake, and c. W. Tenney, OF
Falls, the most important act was to
secure the services of w. P. Hepburn
to take charge OF the county's effort to
settle with the government on swamp
land. The contract made with Colonel
hepburn reads as follows:
THE county board OF supervisors and
w. P. Hepburn authorizing said Hep
burn to proceed to Washington, and
there to use all diligence. to bring
about a speedy adjustment Of the
swamp land interest Of said county, for
which services said county is to pay
the sum Of 5000, in hand paid, and the
balance Of $1,000 When the county
shall receive the said swamp lands or
this equivalent In script or cash.
Colonel Hepburn then entered into
the bonds to the amount of $500 for the
faithful performance Of his duty, which
was signed by D. z. Coon and c. H.
Huntley. 1t is to be presumed that
satisfactory settlement was made with
the government because later in the
records is found the result Of an cleo
ton in which 1t was proposed to vote
the swamp lands of Cerro Gordo coun-
ty to the McGregor and Sioux City
railroad as bonus for building the
line thru the county. locating stations
where specified and all to be com
pleted within a specified time The
proposition carried by a large major
ity. The swamp lands voted to the
railroad consisted Of 3O.153 acres. This
election occurred In 1858 and the fol-
lowing year the road was brought into
Cerro Gordo county, according to
agreement
The part taken by Colonel Hepburn
in securing the swamp land settlements
with the government would. no doubt,
make interesting history If given to
the public, because Hepburn was a
tireless worker when at work on such
a proposition.
GUBERNATORIAL POSSIBILITIES.
GDubuque-Telegrap Herald.]
While there were all shades Of po-
ltiical opinion represented at Des
Moines on the occasion Of the visit of
President Wilson, it was but natural
democratic leaders should predominant
among prominent partisans.
There was much state politics dis
cussed both on Tuesday and on We'd
nesday, the occasion Of the meeting
of the democratic state committee at
which it was decided to hold the con-
vention ratifying the result of the
primaries and draft platform at Des
Moines in June and the convention to
ratify the election Of delegates to the
national convention at Clinton early
in May.
There was discussion of available
candidates for the democratic Suber-
material nomination. The men who
have doomed largest in the public eye
to- :his position are W. w. Marsh.
national committeeman and E. T. Mer-
edith, director on the board Of the
federal reserve bank
What both these gentlemen have
heretofore insisted was repeated on