118 The Bulletin. 



take care of him. It happened that several of these farmers were members of 

 the school committee, aud just about this time they had to hire a new teacher 

 for the local school, and after diligent search secured one whom they agreed 

 to pay the munificent sum of $30 per month. Seventy-five dollars per month 

 for a man to care for one horse and $30 per month for one girl to care for all 

 the children of the neighborhood ! 



Another straw that shows the drift of things is the proposition of a great 

 Cliicago firm to contribute $1,000 or more to any county which would con- 

 tribute a like amount to agricultural development and education. 



Now, gentlemen, in conclusion, let me say that the activity of the bankers 

 does not indicate that they are presuming to know all about agriculture, and 

 to teach farmers how to carry on their own business. They have simply seen 

 the need and want to lend a helping hand. They know that the greatest asset 

 on the farm is the young man and young woman on the farm. It is through 

 them development must come; and they must be reached through improved 

 educational methods. Not only better farm methods are needed, but a clearer 

 perception of the weighty problems that affect our State and National life. 

 Increased production is desirable, but increased production is of little worth 

 unless accompanied by a reaching out after a higher and better life. 



The increasing population of the cities is making harder the "struggle for 

 existence, and higher the cost of living, and th<> future of the country rests 

 largely upon our ability to increase the yield of the soil, to make country life 

 sufficiently attractive to keep the young people on the farm, and to make the 

 farm a haven for the weary thousands who are now crowding to overflowing 

 the great cities. 



Can this be done, and how? is the question of the hour, and it is for the 

 farmer and the business man — for you, gentlemen, and for me — to solve this 

 problem and thus prepare the way for those who are to come after us. 



Of course, there are other important and necessary interests that demand 

 attention. "The cattle industry is of vast proportions and involves immense 

 sums of money. The timber lands of the East and the South, the coal fields 

 of the Nation, the stores of gold and silver hidden away in the bowels of the 

 earth, the great quarries of granite — all mean much for the wealth of the 

 world, for the glory of man, and for his comfort and support; but all these 

 fade into insignificance in the presence of that which is coming and through 

 the ages must continue to come from the soil." 



The conservation of this vast product is committed unto you, and in the 

 mighty task which this involves I come, in the name of the bankers of 

 America, to bid you God speed and to pledge for them their heartiest coopera- 

 tion. 



Mr. Shuford : I am sure that we all enjoyed Mr. Brown's talk, and 

 we were glad to have him with us. I trust that we shall become better 

 acquainted with the bankers of this State, and we were very glad in- 

 deed to have Mr. Brown with us. 



The next thing on our program is an address by Mr. J. W. Bailey, 

 of Ealeigh, upon the "Torrens System of Registering Land Titles." 

 We have all read about the Torrens system, and have discussed it, and 

 now we are going to have a talk by Mr. Bailey about it. 



THE TORRENS SYSTEM OF REGISTERING LAND TITLES. 



J. W. B.ULET, Raleigh. N. C. 



Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Farmers' Convention,: I am very grate- 

 ful for an opportunity of service, and likewise for the invitation to speak to 

 you at this time on the subject of the Torrens land system. I am likewise 

 grateful to know that you have relieved me of any special effort on the sub- 

 ject, and for the implied compliment, which I took to myself, as I read in the 

 paper that you had indorsed the system in anticipation of my convincing 



