The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-08-25
HlXSON IN MANILA
WELL KNOWN ALBANIAN
 PROMINENT IN COURTS.
He Appeared Before Philippines Commission and Gave His Views on Opium Smuggling.
 A Live Question.

Just now IS the opium trafnc. There was not long since a notable public discussion
 which lawyers, preachers, editors. citizens generally, Spaniards, Filipinos, Chinamen
 and the commissioners themselves de- bated the proposition as to the best way to regulate the traffic with the least harm to the public.
 Governor Taft made what is regarded as the greatest speech he has delivered in the islands. He discussed the old question whether prohibition prohibits in thoughtful and entertaining manner the various views met. them with interest ing conclusions. It appears that the religious sentiment and the press of the islands are united in opposition to the importation of opium at all into the archi- pelago. Judge Taft said in his speech that indulgence in opium was not in itself aVice or an immoral thing, that the harm lay in excessive use. His information
 was that the highest class of Chinese in- dulged moderately in partaking of opium and that it was a custom in polite Chinese society to pass the. pipe, from which moderate indulgence there was no evidence of serious injury. Opium sots, he said, were far less frequent in China than were whlskey drunkards in America. The result of the discussion was that a bill to farm out the traffic or to establish what would practically be State opium dispensary was laid on the table until committee appointed for the pur- pose could investigate the use of the drug in eastern countries and the methods adopted to control or regulate the traffic.
 Among the lawyers who discussed the question was J. Courtney Hixson, former ly of Union Springs, Ala.
 Many people of Alabama connections have asked the question of late years, what has become of Colonel Hixson?"
 Colonel Hixson is practicing law in the capital of the Philippines. being one of firm of Moore, White and Hixson. He graduated from the University of Ala baam and was commandant of the corps of cadets of the university. During Cleveland's last administration he was consul at Foochow, China. where he made an interesting and creditable record It was through his efforts that the Chinese Government was compelled to punish by death large number of members of the society of anti-foreigners known as the ''VegetarianS" who had massacred some American and English missionaries. Shortly after Colonel Hixson-he was called "coloner' by virtue of having been commandant of the Alabama cadets-gave place to Republican appointee for Foo- chow, the war with Spain was declared. He sought appointment as the commander or a regiment, but the military claims of other AAbamians proved superior to his and he was obliged to accept a much lower rank. After the discharge of the volunteers from the States, he sought and obtained appointment as first lieutenant in one of the rigements of United States volunteers organized to suppress the Filipino insurrection. When these vol unteers were discharged, Colonel Hixson decided to remain in the islands and opened law office in Manila, where re- port has 1t he IS a most important per- SOnage.
 Few people who have ever seen Colonel Hixson would forget him. He is remem- oered In Washington as one of the most striking-looking men who has ever figured in the visual chronicles of the Capital City. When he walked on the avenue, he was 'the observed of all observers. '' He spent some time here seeking martial preferment as we'll as when he was in the diplomatic service. Too good-natured and beaming with contentment to be des- cribed as having "a brow like Mars, to threaten and command" yet, if there was anything in being exceptionally tall, ele- gantly erect and otherwise ideally con- structed on military physical lines. he was very like commander indeed. The main marvel of Colonel Hixson was an ex- traordinary mustache which enhancing his warlike aspect, was the longest and largest and fiercest mustache said ever to have been observed in Washington. A the colonel deeply cherished a pride not only in the HixsOn mustache, fre- quently descanting upon the lustrous lux uriance of the lip-whlskers. out. rhapso- uPOH IIc LndHly puiCnTlLuQe or the colonel, boasted that he had de finest baZeek dat eVah come to Wash n'ton'' The colonels physique was indeed nota- ble and noted here.
 Ever and anon among those who recall the colonel for one thing and another of his attributes that coquetted with tame and made him man to be remarked and looked at with more than casual interest, the question Is still asked: What has become of Colonel Hixson?"
 The answer may he found In, tIa AEor;Io press. Reverting to the debate at Manila of the opium traffic, the press of the city reporting the occasion gave considerable space to a speech ry the colonel. Evi- dently the Manila papers disagreed with the colonel's views. for their reports treated his forensic performance rather iippantly. But it may be remarked in passing, that neither did the views of the press harmonize with the position of the Philippine Commission
 The Manila American In its report of Colonel Hixson's speech, said that he spoke several hours. From his own ac- count" observed that journal, he has been in nearly every country on the globe and from Greenland's icy mountains to India's coral strands he has studied the opium business"
 Other comments of The Manila Ameri- can are interesting Following are ex- tracts:
 MT. Hixson spoke In a manner that was clearly audible at the Intendencia building (about a mile from the place of speakingO People here who remember Colonel Hixson do not recall that his manner was so loud as that.
 He said he had written a report to Exeter Hall. London, but that reiiSlous in England refused to publish 1t.
 MT. Hixson tried to hit the newspaper men and at the same time tried to soft soap them. He said that when he was talking to them he felt like he was talk Ing to brothers. He had been an editCr himself. He thought that the three Ma nlla newspapers had been fooled into the course they had taken.
 'Mr. Hixson impressed upon the conn missioners that he had been consul at some place in Asia once upon a time and he told them all about how opium was into the Hawaiian Islands. With graphic paucity (sic). he described how the opum was brought from San Francisco and placed in inter-island boats and how the missionaries in Hawaii got mixed in the smuggling trade.
 From Honolulu he went to Africa and then back to Vermont. He said that in Commissioner Ide's own town he had been able to buy liquor on the samn street upon which the commissioner IivAA
 Governor Taft asked Mir. SHixson if he didn't think this was taking advantage of MT. Ide's absence, who was not present at the hearing by the Commission. Hix- son retorted that the people of Ide's town also took advantage of his absence to sell liquor that was prohibited.
 After going into very ancient history.