Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-03-03
COST Of LIVING
WILL Be CHEAPER
WHOLESALER SAY
Some Reductions Have Been
Made Already in the Prices
of FoodStuffS and Others
Will Follow in Due Time,

Old High Cost of Living is
going to be knocked groggy in the
near future, according to wholesale
grocers. of course he is not expected
to take the count and return to the
position which he occupied before the
war.
Watch your grocery bills closely
and you will see them come down.
There will be reductions all along the
line, wholesalers assert, with the pos
sible exception of canned fruits.
The bulk of the canned fruit is con-
trolled by the meat packers and the
fruit packers. Their needs for the year
are estimated quite closely and their
canning is done accordingly. They see
to il that there Is no competition, it
was stated, and also that there is no
surplus on hand at the end of the sea-
son. Therefore do not expect any per-
Ceptible decrease in the prices of
canned fruits.
Canned peas, tomatoes and corn,
however, when the new crop is avail
able, will be cheaper. Gamers of
these articles continue to live in the
dim past, when it was considered
proper and good business policy to en-
gage in competition. They do not real
ize that modern business methods de-
mand that they combine and squeeze
every possible cent out of the ultimate
consumer. Therefore, one may eat
his fill of peas, tomatoes and corn
without being compelled to take ad-
vantage of the bankruptcy law.
Condensed milk has already hit the
downward grade. Last week there was
a decline of SO cents a case. A cut of
3 cents a case was announced earlier,
and shortly before that 40 cents case
was slashed off, making total de-
crease of $1.O5 a case recently.
Coffee will decrease considerably in
April, it was stated. In the meantime
the price may increase, but by April
the new crop will be ready for the
market and this will CT use a reduc-
ton in the price even below the pres
ent figures.
Sugar will remain where it is for
sixty days. Sugar it was said, is sold
by the refiners to the wholesalers on
a guarantee there will be no change
in price for sixty days, aud the whole
salers sell to the retailers on the same
basis.
Here's good news for those who
board. The prune crop last year was
almost a total failure and this prom
ises to be a pruneless year. The price
has advanced to cents a pound re-
Gently and further increases are ex
pected at any time. But prunes do not
form n necessary article of diet and
boarding house keepers will he forced
to substitute something else as the
piece de resistance of the dessert
course.
The California raisn crop, whole
salers say, was badly damaged by rain
and wind, which has not only caused
a shortage. but the raisin grapes were
covered with sand. 1t was impossible
to clean them thoroughly before they
were packed. Housewives are warned
that If they find sand in their saisins,
the fault should not be laid at the
door of the packers the wholesaler or
the retailer.
Consumers, however, should not eX-
pect an immediate adjustment of
prices all along the line. While some
articles have already decreased inl
price and it is generally agreed that
most foodstuffs will begin to decline
from now on, wholesalers and retail
ers have stocks on hand which theYl
bought at war prices and these will
have to be sold at those prices plus
the usual margin of profit.