Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-09-06
FIGHT ON LIVING
COST IS STARTED
BY THE COVE RNOR
Suggests That Grand JurieS
Be Instructed to Make In
vestigation; May Call Spe-
cial Session of Legislature.


A fresh attack on the high cost of
living has been launched by Governor
Larrazolo, who in letters received
yesterday by Judge NJ. E. Hickey, of
the district court; City Manager
Hebenstreit and DR.. NJ. X. Wylder
chairman of the county board. sug-
gested assailing the high prices of
necessities from several directions.
The governor suggested enforcement
of state laws which he says offer
partial remedy and added that If they
were found to be ineffective he would
not hesitate to call a special session
OF the legislature to enact adequate
legislation. Before adding the cost
of an extra session to the states bur-
dens, however, he urged that other
n cans of combating the high prices
be tried
The letter to Judge Hickey, which
was sent to all district judges in the
state, requested that he call the at
tention of the grand juries in coun-
ties of the Second judicial district to
sections 1885 and 1856 of the New
Mexico statutes, annoted, and in
struct them to investigate to find
whether or not these laws have been
violated by anyone and, if their find
ing is in the affirmative, to present
indictments against the violators.
The sections referred TO by the gov
ernor follows:
1855. Restraint of Trade.--Every
contract or combination between in
divtduals, associations or corporations,
having for its object or which shall
operate to restrict trade or commerce
or control the quantity, price or ex-
change OF any article of manufacture
or product of the soil or mine, is here
by declared to be Illegal. Every per-
son, whether as individual or agent
or officer of stakeholder of any cor
poration or association, who shall
make any such contract, or engage in
any such combination, shall be deem
ed guilty of a misdemeanor, and on
conviction thereof shall be punished
by fine not exceeding $1,000, nor
less than 800, and by Imprisonment
at hard labor not exceeding one year,
or until such fine has been paid.
1885. nopolies.-Every person
who shall monopolze, or attempt to
or combine or conspire
with any other person or persons TO
commerce of this state, shall be deem
ed guilty of misdemeanor, and on
conviction thereof shall be punished |
by a fine Of not exceeding 81 900. or
by Imprisonment not exceeding one !
year, or by both said punishments |
In the discretion of the court"
District Attorney George r. Craig |
has announced that TIE Ber-
nalillo county grand jury, which will |
meet shortly will make Investigations |
Of the kind advised by the governor. |
The letter received by the city man
ager and Dr. Wylder, which was ad-
dressed to all heads of cities and |
county boards in the state, contains
further suggestions for combating
the high prices. 1t says in part:
l Deg to suggest that in your re-
spective communities you appoint |
committees composed exclusively OF |
consumers, the number and member
snip OF such committees to be determ- |
med by your bodies; that these com
mittees be charged with the duty of |
investigating what profits are now |
being made by@dealers, wholesale and |
retail, In all commodities that enter I
into the support of human life; that
the findings of these committees be /
given wide publicity, to the end that |
the general public may thoroughly /
the methods and reasons
why living has become an almost UNI
bearable burden. In addition, these
committees should be charged with .
the duty of devising plans and meth
DDS by which the evils complained of /
can be remedied. Among the methods
ana means from which decisive re-