Arizona republican., 1919-09-25
THURSDAY MORNING. SEPTEMBER s5. 1919
'I know no real worth but that tranquil firmness which seeks dang CTS by duty, and braves them with out rashness. -Stanislaus.
rhe New Cement Situation

The advertisement of the county highway commis- sion for bids for cement for highway construction ought to stimulate interest in local cement manu- featuring enterprise It puts into concrete shape matter which has been much discussed for several months and which could not go beyond the phase of discussion until now. As the money from the sale of the highway bonds not available, the commits sion could under the law enter into contract submit formal proposition involving the expenditure of the proceeds of the bonds.
 A tentative proposition, and at that time it could be only tentative. was made to the Water Users as sociation for the only reason that it the only body already organized and with legal power to en- certain a proposition such the commission made. It was that the commission if the association would into the manufacture of cement, advance it s1 Q barrel on ranging from 100000 to S0o0oo barrels This advance to be made on the accept of the bid.
 The advertisement of the commission is addressed to all prospective bidders Though the commission no doubt had in mind its informal proposition to the Water Users it addresses itself to all presons bodies which may desire into the business of making cement But there few bodies of sufficient responsibility to be acceptable to the commission. There must be behind the bidder responsibility that will assure his performance the contract into which he enters.
 A cement plant under the control of the Water Users other public semi public association would be actually cooperative institution. Every barrel sold to the highway commission would be barrel sold to the taxpayers who voted the highway bonds and who will have to pay them. The more cement the taxpayers buy for the money for road building purposes the farther the proceeds of the bonds will go and greater will be the mileage of good roads.
 strong argument. almost unanswerable one in favor of the local manufacture of cement is the fact that at there will be saving of s122 barrel in freight There is at saving of more than ssSOOOO the estimated So0ooO barrels needed to carry out the road building program.
 It is unnecessary to consider the further benefits of the local manufacture of cement in this valley where the uses of cement rapidly increasing.
 There is another matter which however does not concern the highway commission and that is the character of the plant which may make the cement whether it is plant a cost of than half million dollars the rehabilitated plant of the Arizona Portland Cement company. If the bidder is responsible and the commission of his responsibility the money such plant he will be advanced him his contract. But of course, the commission can take no chances with the money of the people
 In opinion, based the statements of the men whom regard most competent to speak MT. Duryea, MT Cooper the representative of the Ais- Chalmers company and the engineer of George E. Nicholson of Kansas City, do not believe that the expenditure of $75oo0 the present plant which that is necessary. MT. Cooper believed that the expenditure of s75OOO the presen plont which purchased for s4OOOO will put it in adequate shape 10 turn far in of 1000 barrels of cement daily.
 The time has come to look into the matter very thoroughly and to weigh carefully the great ad vantages which will to this community by the manufacture of cement locally by agency whose prime object shall be to supply high grade community development at prices free from trust domination.