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Show Characterizes the Republican Re-publican Party as a! Political and Moral Failure and Defends His Mexican and Foreign For-eign Policies ; Recites Legislative Record of Congress. DEFIES "SMALL ALIEN ELEMENT" Notification Ceremonies Attended by a Large Number of New Jersey People, Members of National Committee and Some of the Leading Lead-ing Democrats. LONG BRANCH, N. J., Sept. 2. President Wilson today formally opened his campaign for re-election with a speech accepting the Democratic nomination nomi-nation in which ho characterized the Republican party as a ''practical and moral failure,'' defended his Mexican and European, policies, recited the legislative legis-lative achievements of his administra tion, and declared for a "big America." j The president left Shadow Lawn at 31 o'clock tonight for "Washington to renew his efforts to avert the threatened threat-ened nation-wide railroad strike. In his speech President Wilson was unsparing in his criticism of the Republican Repub-lican party as a party of "masterly inactivity and cunning resourcefulness in standing pat to resist change," and said that the old leaders still select its candidates, but he did not mention Charles E. Hughes, the Republican candidate, can-didate, by name. The president spoke from the veranda of his summer home to a crowd which filled 8000 chairs and overflowed to the lawn. Applause Frequent. Speaking in the open, his voice could be heard by only a small part of the crowd, but those who did hear him constantly interrupted with applause. Onca when he said "I neither seek the favor nor fear the displeasure of that small alien element amongst us .which puts loyalty to any foreign power before loyalty to the United States," the crowd stood and cheered. The notification ceremonies were brought to a close when more than a score of American flags attached to parachutes were fired into the air by mortars and unfolded over tho president's presi-dent's head as a band played "America." "Ameri-ca." Afterward Mr. Wilson stood more than an hour on the veranda and shook hands with several thousand men, women wom-en and children. Introduced by Senator James. Senator .Tames of Kentucky, chairman of the notification committee, introduced ihe president. When he declared that M r. Wilson had kept America at peace the crowd responded Instantly nnd applauded ap-plauded several minnlea He concluded hv handin.c the president a copy of the St. Louis platform. Reading from a printed copy of hi? speech and frequently looklnc up to emphasize em-phasize particular points, Mr. Wilson spoke of the Democratic platform as a "definite pledge." Reviewing the achievements achieve-ments of the administrat ion. he sa id : "Alike In the Democratic field and the wide field of commerce of the world. American business and life and industry have been set. free to move as they never moved before. "We h:vp provided for national defense upon a scale never before seriously proposed pro-posed upon the responsibility of an entire political party." C."ii''ludinc his list of measures passed by concress in C-.e last three years, the president declared: "This eNtraordlnary recital must sound (Continued on Page Three.) WILSON ACCEPTS ; THEDEMOCRATS Makes Speech at Summer White House in Presence of Party Leaders and New Jersey Citizens. (Continued from Page One.) like a platform, a list of sanguine prom-j prom-j ises, but It Is not. It Is a record of promises made four years ago and now actually redeemed in constructive legislation." legis-lation." The president made a bid for the Pro- gresslve vote by saying that "we have In four vears come very near to carrying out the platform of the Progressive party as well as our own, for we are also progressives." Further along, rebuking foreign-born Americans who are not loyal to the "United States, he said: "I am the candidate of a party, but I am, above all things else, an American citizen." .f- Defends Mexican Policy. When Mr. Wilson declared that the revolution In Mexico is right and that eo long as its leaders represent, however Imperfectly, a struggle for freedom, he is ready to serve their ends, the crowd applauded. Applause also greeted his declaration that America must do its part in laying the foundation for world peace. The policy of the United States In dealing with violations of the rights of Americans as a result of the European war the president outlined thus: That property rights can be vindicated by t claims for damage when the war is over ' and no modern nation can decline to ar bitrate such claims, but the fundamental rights of humanity cannot be. The audience which listened to the president's address of acceptance was made up largely of residents of New Jersey coast towns, but Included Democratic Demo-cratic leaders from every section of the country and delegations from New York, Pennsylvania and other near-by states. Cabinet Represented. Secretary Lansing, Secretary Houston, 4 Secretary McAdoo and Postmaster Gen eral Burleson represented the cabinet, and virtually all the members of the notification noti-fication committee, the Democratic national na-tional committee, the Democratic campaign cam-paign committee and the associate cam-palgn cam-palgn committee of Progressives were also present. Long Branch and West End were decorated dec-orated in red, white and blue for the occasion and the crowds which attended the ceremony were in festival mood. Mr. Wilson himself was seldom without a smile throughout the day. Prior to his ' speech he entertained at lunch, but to night he remained at Shadow Lawn with members of his family and his closest advisers until time came to depart for Washington. The president will arrive In Wasblng- ton early tomorrow and after a stay of three hours will leave for Hodgenville, Ky., to deliver a Lincoln speech on Monday. He will return to Washington Tuesday afternoon. When President Wilson was told tonight to-night that the eight-hour bill was ready f for his signature, he said: "It Is the-climax of a very happy day." Officials said it would be legal for the V president to sign the bill on Sunday. Jr"- |