Des Moines News Leader
Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa
Friday Morning, December 27, 1901, page 4

Representative M. Z. BAILEY of Diagonal, Ringgold county, who was in the city [Des Moines] yesterday in quest of quarters for the legislative session, said he was greatly in favor of the enactment of a measure establishing the Torrens land system.

"I do not expect to prepare such a measure," said Mr. BAILEY. "I understand Dr. HAWK of Jasper county already has prepared a bill. but I expect to support it. I understand the system works well in Illinois and other states. I do not expect the measure will have serious opposition from any source. The real estate men generally, I believe, want it."

Mr. BAILEY has selected rooms at the Wellington hotel on Fifth street.

Representatives M. L. TEMPLE of Osceola and Nate WRIGHT of Guthrie were in the city last evening.

Governor SHAW has received the resignation of Judge T. M. FEE of Centerville from the district bench of the Second Vermilion of Centerville to succeed him.

NOTE: The Torrens title is a system of land title where a register of land holdings maintained by the state guarantees an indefeasible title to those included in the register, formulated to combat problems of uncertainty, complexity, and cost which depends on proof fo an unbroken chain of title back to a good root of title. In the United States, Iowa is the only state with all of its land under the Torrens system. Other states, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Colorado, Georgia, hawaii, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, and Washington, utilizes the Torrens system with limited implementation.

Transcription and note by Sharon R. Becker, May of 2009