Vol. LXXIII, No. 4247 
NEW YORK. MARCH 21. 1014 
WEEKLY 51.00 PER YEA I 
REGISTRATION OF LAND TITLES. 
The Torrens System in Ohio. 
When John Jones sells his farm to William 
Smith they first agree upon the price, and then 
Jones begins the long, tedious and expensive pro¬ 
cedure of transferring the title of his farm to 
Smith. The first step is to employ a lawyer to pre¬ 
pare an abstract of the title of the property which 
shall go back to the original grant of the land from 
year, what happens? . The same thing over again. 
Smith may use his abstract as lie received it from 
Jones and have his lawyer continue the abstract on 
down to date. The third party to whom the farm 
is sold must have his lawyer examine the abstract 
of title just as has been previously done. Why all 
this machinery for the transfer of real estate? Per¬ 
sonal property may he bought and sold and ex¬ 
change owner within a few minutes or hours at 
most, but not so with real estate, its exchange is 
eiple that the Government guarantees the title to 
real estate each time it is transferred, making ab¬ 
stracts of title and ancient history of the transfers 
and encumbrances that have concerned the property 
of no avail. The Ohio Legislature adopted the sys¬ 
tem last year, and it will go into effect July 1st, 
1914. A similar law was passed by the Ohio Legis¬ 
lature in 1890, but was declared unconstitutional in 
a suit that was brought the following year. In the 
revision of the State Constitution in 1912 an amend- 
A MILK-MAKING HOLSTEIN. SHE CAN GIVE 36 FAMILIES ONE QUART EACH PER DAY. Fig. 100 (See Page 450). 
the government to a private owner. Every transfer 
of title of the property that lias ever been made, 
all liens that have been recorded against the prop¬ 
erty, must be shown in the abstract, and before a 
clear title can be given the abstract must show all 
claims against the property on the part of heirs, 
satisfied. After the abstract has been prepared 
with all possible care and by the best legal talent 
Jones presents it to Smith, who in turn must em¬ 
ploy a lawyer to examine the abstract and render 
an opinion as to whether the evidence of title as 
shown in the abstract is satisfactory. 
Suppose Smith sells the farm again within a 
hedged about with so many requirements that its 
value as security for credit is materially lessened. 
TORRENS SYSTEM OF REGISTRY.—In recent 
years a new system of the registration of land 
titles and transfer of real estate has been adopted 
in some of the States, known as the Torrens sys¬ 
tem of land registration. This system takes its 
name from Sir Robert Torrens, an English Colonial 
statesman, who introduced the system into South 
Australia in 1N57. It rapidly spread into other col¬ 
onies, and has now come into general use in Cana¬ 
da, and has been adopted by nine or ten American 
States. The Torrens system is based on the prin- 
ment was adopted making specific provision for 
registering land titles. 
HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS.—Under the Tor¬ 
rens system a registrar of titles is established in 
the county, and an owner may have his title ex¬ 
amined by this officer and if found to be good a 
certificate of title is issued to him by the State, 
certifying that he is the owner of the land in fee 
simple and the title is incontestable. After the title 
is once registered there is no further need of ab¬ 
stracts of title, continuation of abstracts or opin¬ 
ions of attorneys. The certificate of registration is 
the absolute and conclusive evidence of the title. 
