New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-02-18
REAL ESTATE MEN DINE
Orer $50 Attend the Annual Cete-
brntion at the WGIdorf-AStoria.

Moro than six hundred and fifty real estate men.
from all the boroughs OF greater New VOTE. as
Rembled in the grand ballroom OF the WALDORF
Astoria last night for the thirteenth annual din
uer OF the Real Estate Board of Brokers The
affair was planned in celebration OF the organiza-
ton of the Taxpayers Congress.
The dinner was unique in its souvenirs The
largest of these was a silver inkstand in fac
smile of the metropolitan Life Building. the cree
ton Of which the biggest achievement in the
real estate world since the last dinner.
President Joseph P. Day acted as chairman, and
at the guests table were Justice Francis M Scott
David w Armstrong, Frank Bailey, Louis w.
Bright J. Romano Brown. Frederick A Cleveland.
c c. Dickinson, Robert z. Bowling. Edgar j.
I.evey, Henry Morgenthau, Walter Stabler, Clinton
W. Sweet. Irving E. Vining, Francis f Ward and
T. o. Woodruff
An categorical figure was in box over the north
end of the ballroom 4 represented the Democratic
and Republican parties by the Tammany tiger ana
the O. o. P. elephant respectively, and figure OF
Father Knickerbocker. The Long Island taps
showed representation of the greensboro Bridge
Respondent with lights.
Among the speakers were Robert z Bowling
Henry Morgenthau, J. Romano Brown Irving E.
vining. Francis E. Ward and Edgar j. Levey.
President Joseph P. Day acted as POSTMASTER ana
introduced the speakers
Edgar J. Levey said the condition OF financial
sfairs In the city gay topic for an after
dinner speech, but he thought the topic good one
for real estate brokers to listen to- He said:
This fever that is possessing New York City oI I
call municipal megalomania- She wants 10 pc 700
great Her schemes flavor of municipal socialism.
There is graft on the part Of men who are not III
public office The are grafters VINO puy farms
In rural districts and then try TO get the city 70
build subEays through their property ana raise Ihe
price of their property to city prices Ihey are 9ust
as much enemies to the commonwealth as the men
who buy lands and then sell them TO the city for
useless parks.
John H McCooey. Deputy City Controller. SAID
that the cIty's finances in fairly good conol-
ton. During the last three years, he said the CITY
had paid nearly s45,0OO.OOo for land sold on con-
demnation proceedings, and that the city had the
land yet-one asset"
Speaking seriously Mr. McCooey said the Finance
Department felt the city had good margin, The
present method of calculating the city debt had
been in vogue since consolidation he said, and II
would be necessary TO follow that method until the
courts pointed out better one. He sald ne was
optimistic and felt that the city would pull through
Henry Morganthau said that optimism would
be the greatest force of progress. His speech
fairly bubbled optimism. He spoke Of the real
estate men acting the pilots" to guide the
money TO a safe harbor-the money being sent
into the local real estate markers from otner
cities. The diners thought he said pirates in
stead of pilots and the toastmaster afterWard
corrected the mistake
Robert Z. Bowling was another optmlst lie
agreed with Mr.. Levy that economy was needfuI
in the management Of city affairs, but he didnI
believe the present debt limit was going TO stand
in the way of the citys development very long