I wish to avoid the testing in the calling function.

Then add the testing to the called function: 

sub createOwner {
    if (0.5 > rand) {
        return ('XML::LibXML::Text'->new('John Smith'))
    } else {
        my $ret = 'XML::LibXML::Element'->new('href');
        $ret->appendTextNode('http://johnsmith.com');
        return ($ret)
    }
}

[download]

Update: Fixed a warning.

لսႽ† ᥲᥒ⚪⟊Ⴙᘓᖇ Ꮅᘓᖇ⎱ Ⴙᥲ𝇋ƙᘓᖇ

In reply to Re: XML::LibXML creating nodes with a string OR a node by choroba
in thread XML::LibXML creating nodes with a string OR a node by worik

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