Arizona republican., 1919-07-19
Where The People May Have a Hearing
Statement by Commissioner Hurley
Phoenix, Ariz.. July II, 1919.

Phoenix AriZ.. July II, 1913. Editor Arizona Republican.
 Dear Sir: I hesitate to appear Tn print, but feel it necessity at thls time to give my personal expression Tn regard to the Water Users association taking over the cement plant and pro- ducing cement locally for members or the association as well as for construc- tion of our county highways. This en- terprise is so different from other sim liar enterprises which have been sug- gested in our community and the op- position to the cement plant can be compared well to the opposition which appeared recently questioning the right of the school board to sell school land. The question, which perhaps would not have been raised if it were not proposed to erect on the Central school building site a hotel at an estl- mated cost of $1,000 900. This opposi- tion excited the good temperament of many of our best citizens.
 In the proposition of taking over the cement plant, the keenest interest has been taken by those who have little interest or no interest at all, leaving those who are interested to guess the source of influence that may prompt
 
 Water Users Association taking over the manufacture of cement and saving s1 ,O0O,O00 if only the freight on ce ment for road construction in our county is saved by the operation. All who care to investigate will be con vinced without doubt of the feasibility of a high-class Portland ceme1t being produced within ten miles of our city hall
 Myself and family are the sole own CTS of 43S acres of land under the | Roosevelt project, and buy water for | irrigation of every acre of this land from the Water Users association. While I am unfortunate geographically 1 in not having a single acre of my land 1 located on any of the paved highways | on our program and while I was on the commission at the time roads were selected to be paved, I made no effort whatever to have roads running by and abutting my land put on the pro- l gram, having in mind always that | there were logical roads to be paved | to serve the geratest number, and 1 remain content with sharing such benefits with my neighbors as may accrue to my land by the paved high way system when completed. 1 feel l lDdl l nave d IlSil bO NOlNe III Oul paper my opinion as to why the Water Users association should immediately acquire the present cement plant and | proceed to manufacture cement, both for their own use and for the mem bers of the association at large, as well as the county highway system.
 Who is benefited by the roads What is the primary object of their construction? The people at large in the county are the farmers; the necessity of highways exists for transportation of crops to market, the encouragement of the return of young folks to the land and to further encourage those on the land to be contented to remain where they are, in affording then highways on which they may drive tc attend church, school, places of amuse- ment, ana that they may know better each other. become more acquainted in general, and to make life wortf living-country life less irksome; 1T fact, to make tbe country the most de sirable place to live and enjoy tn fruits of home that is all that hom' should be. I will submit to my fellow citizens as to whether l might b. termed q representative taxpayer il the Water Users association; as t
 whether, if I am sane, I could in