The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1919-01-24
TORRENS LAW NEEDED.
Meadows Eaple)

AS times passes the need of a
new land title law becomes more and
more apparent This winter the state
Legislature meets to cinsder degisla-
ton of more or less Importance but
the law outlined above will by some
evasive means be kept from a vote
unless pushed vigorously. No repre-
sentative or senator of any agricul-
tural state cares to have his vote re-
corded against such a law; therefore
he acquesses in an arrangement to
keep the Torrens law from vote, if
a bill is up before them. Two years
ago Representative Adamson of Blaine
county and yc editor carefully pre-
pared a bill for the enactment of such
law. 1t passed the house of repre-
sentatives only to be buried by the
Sitting committee" in the senate
headed as you may suspect by a sena-
tor who had personal friends inter-
ested in the abstract business.
The transfer of land or other prop
erty requiring an abstract of title
is now very cumbersome and expen-
sive. Nor is it getting better. In
stead year by year, the transaction
calls sfor more red tape, more ex-
pense. The lawyer and abstractor
fatten on such things, and it is not
strange that. far from helping the
general public to simplify them, they
add to the cost by law processes and
many-paged abstracts which are
made mysterious thing requiring
much ability to correctly produce
The time is near when the public in
sheer disgust will rise and demand a
law that will make a land title, once
established good for all time.
From the trend of things in the
past, one cannot help but believe that
in the near future a ten-volume
abstract will be necessary to help the
matter the abstracter will embody in
a title, and then to make sure Of it, it
will have to pass battery of lawyers
to hold good one year; the same pro-
cess to be repeated annually. OF
course the reader will smile at such
an absurdity, but there is too much
truth in the picture for Joke. Hardly
transaction in real estate is now
made but calls for expert help in I'M
raveling it. And this is the case of
io" I'll III N"iSlOll w no ICJGCIcu
abstract he had made and approved
the year before If the processes
taken to quiet titles" were of any
help in quieting them. it would not
be so bad. but titles become more and
more unquieted and repire more legal
soothing syrup in shape OF money
with passing years The business is
one OF the time-honored gratis which
has fastened on the people and ac
cepted with ox-like stupidity by them
as something essential, albeit very
burdcnsome. The truth is, il is
graft, and as such should be put out
OF business by law that will make
title, once settled. good forever, with
out any further expense, except on
further sales when small recording
fee should record new title.
If the farmers. who will profit most
by Torrens law, wohld reach the
representatives and senators OF their |
districts with a unanimous demand
for it. it would hardly be evaded, but
the farmer seems, strange to say, the |
most indifferent to the situation. |
Hardly a farmer but has been bitten
IT some time at the sale or purchase |
IF land, for such a sale calls for a
awyer. on both sides and frequently
or new abstralt on some flimsv
'retext The farmer has in his hand
he power to put Torrens, good
orever title law on the statutes OF
lis state. II your farm deed, reader,
5 passed on and declared valid, the
'orrens title says it is beyond law