New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-30
A. ROBINSON HITS BACK
Tells R. V. IngersoI| Why He
Does Not Like Congestion Report
SAYS MARSH ALTERED u
Saws Sullivan. Short Bill Would
Reduce Borrowing Capacity
and Affect Mortgages.

and Affect Mortgages.
The chairman Of Mayor Gaynor's 'om-
mlttee on Congestion Of Population In Ne"
York. RAYMOND V. Ingersol seems unable
to understand why Allan Robinson presr
dent OF the Allied Real Estate interests
and a former member of the Mayor COLT
mission. is displeased with certain FEATURES
Of the commissions report.
Had he spared little time from the
Allied Real Estate Interests 10 attend the
meetings of the commission ana hah ne
read the report several months ago lhsted'
Of this present week. nc might nave pee'
in better position to speak as foriher
member of the commission and not merely
an official of the Allied Real Estate
Interests" said Mr.. Ingersoll
The chairman considered that Mr. Robin
sons opposition 10 the sullivan Shortt tax
alton bills proposing lower tax rate on
buildings was based on certain alleged IN
consistencies I'm the commissions report
and not on the bills themcelves. He FUR
Their hintei that Mr.. Robinson before the
report materialized had expressed a liking
To- the measures now embodied i'm the bills
before the Senate cities Committee
Mr. Robinson makes this reply:
have seen the attacks i'm the public
press which have been made upon me ana
the Allied Real Estate Interests 10y Ben1a-
min &. Marsh and Raymond Y. ingersoll:
s. far as these attacks are personal shall
not answer them So far as they affect the
organization of which am president J
want 10 say that the Allied Kea Estate
Interests has never taken any position for
ar q a fS los q IA j.
with good citizenship In other words. nlr
point Of Wow is that what is hest Tor the
citizens Of this city Is host FOR the mem
bers Of our organization. and that In max
ing the fights We have made against bad
legislation and I'm favor Of good leglsa-
ton We have don" 50 in the interest OF the
CITY itself
As regards the particular bill having the
tax on Improvements and placing II upon
land. the position of the association is that
the operation Of such a lii will increase
congestion rather than relieve II. The
aVOWed purpose of this bill l. to affect the
scale Of prices Of real estate throughout
New Yor.. CITY. thus reducing real estate
values, and as consequence reducing
rents.
Two ln,medi ate Results.
As experts i'm real estate We have pointed
out that a bill of this kind would have
two immediate results. II would reduce the
borrowing capacity Of the city. which is
would cause the calling in Of mortgages
upon large scale. Lenders upon bond and
mortgage are the most conservative in
yestors in the city. Legislation which is
coniiscatorY i'm character rs this is would
drive such investors ont Of the mortgage
market
As result Of this driving out of invest
ment funds there would he an inability TO
replace the mortgages so called. and
panic in real estate prices would ensue.
This is apparently what the sponsors Of
Mr.. Marshs bill desire. but they fail 10
soc the ultimate results Of such panic.
which. i'm our opinion. are these: New i'm
proVcmentS which can he undertaken only
upon new borrowed money Will be impos-
sible for long time 10 come, and the re
lief from congestion will he placed still
further of. and as a result the congested
conditions Will be increased rather than
diminished
Furthermore. this failure TO borrow
money. and as a consequence. the failure
to develop on any considerable scale will
result in a restoring of real estate values
after the panic 10 the present high level
and consequent restoration Of rents, SO
that nothing will be accomplished by the
panic brought on hy this bill except a
change in ownership of a large portion Of
the real estate Of New York city.
In opposing the bill therefore. MIR Rob
inson said his associates believed they were
working for the best interests Of the poor
people and that removal Of factories from
the city and an early solution Of the tran
sit question We're the practical methods OF
relieving congestion. He continued:
The Congestion Commission had good
deal Of trouble with Mr. Marsh first and
last. He was not member OF II, hut was
appointed the secretary, and i'm more than
one way and at more than one time he
usurped the functions of the commission
and substituted his own opinions and con
clusion for those II the commission.
| charge him with deliberately changing
10 suit his own purposes ON" Of the bills
that had been prepared hv the commission
relative 10 the power Of tho Tenement
House Department To order the vacating
of buildings unfit for habitation. He de
sired 10 insert i'm this bill the word light
ing as referring To one of the causes or
rendering tenement houses unfit for occu-
patton.
The committee Oh legislation. of which |
was chairman. decided that II would he
unwise 10 use this word. as the subject
was already covered by the present tcne-
mcnt house law. providing for the elimlna-
tion OF dark rooms. and Furthermore, on
the ground that the word WAS indefinite
and would become the subject OF endless
litigation
Under instructions from tie committee
on legislation | myself prepared this bill
and submitted n 10 the commission. which
accepted IL i'm the form IN which prepared
IT, eliminating the word fighting
Mr. Marsh restored this word without au-
thority. and il appears I'm the printed re-
port Of the commission published ia The
city Record" and is incorporated IN the
legislative bill referring 10 the same sub
iect. which was introduced oStcnSihlN as
enc of the bills which. II is claimed. was
drawn Etsand favored 10y tho Mayors com
mission.