Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1911-03-16
'IsbI" PhllOSOgAises on Bluff.
Toano. Va. March 9th.

Editor Gazette:
How many people ever realize
what a great game Of bluff this life
IS? Mr.. Editor. did you ever play 3
game OF poker7 II so. you know
what bluff means there. Everyone
who knows anything Of the game
knows that bluff is = part OF il. ard
what qualification il affords one.
whens suspectinE the other fellow
OF bluffing you call his hand ano
catch him in the act. OF course
this is robbery and so are al games
OF bluff that give the buffer ad-
vantage over the bluffed. that the
buffer may take what the other fel-
low has.
But the game Of bluff goes OF Ia
every walk OF lie. among the great
and small. the high and low. rich
and poor, everywhere. among all
people and at all times. Itisa part
OF every game played by man. No
matter what you arc. where you 60
or what you undertake 70 DO you
run up against this old game OF
bluff: IN religion. il politics. in al
the professions. 10 business OF al
kinds and every branch. even in love.
oourtship and marriage. Il any
man doubts the truth Of this al be
need do TO convince himself is 70
mix IN the game and keep a sharp
lookout for the buffer. He vii
Ind some one always trying 70 bluff
the other fellow out Of or into some.
thing. II you doubt that il exists
I IN the church let me call your atte2-
luon to the great bluff put up by the
catholic church for hundreds OF
years; and is put up TO this day BY
both CothOhc and Protestant. Il
you doubt il exists in politics look
over the doings OF Congress and
come on down through every office
I'll you get to the overseer OF poor.
i Il you doubt it exists in law. gc
to the courts for justice. or take q
matter there for adjustment. and see
il you are not held there al the law.
yers have had ample time 10 bluff
] you out Of everything you have.
! II you doubt that it exists in II,
professions look al the doings Of III,
lawyer. the doctor. theologians
scientist. ave. even down to the dis
covery of the North Pole.
! So merrly goes on this old gam,
! OF bluff in every walk OF life. in sv
cry branch Of government and in ev
4 cry business deal and in society
& Nation bluffng nation. man bluffinI
] man, woman bluffng man and MAJ
bluffng woman.
We have bluffed and been bluffec
until We become 50 inGmidated tha
] Ne no longer have the nerve 70 cal
. the buffer. aid make him SHOW
, down. We have been bluffed b,
the dishonest and wiley political,
unit! you hear the wall on every side
I What can We 90. We arc heloles.
We are bound hand and foot anc
I gagged! Our methods OF selectinI
and electing officers is SO corup
that those who are III and 5esirabl,
refuse to mix in and therefore W,
must choose from amorg those whc
are neither fit or desirable"
But. brother you are wrong. W,
are not helpless. you have beer
asleep. wake up. its al a bluff. Cal
the other. fellows hand. make hiu
show down and you viii find hs
hasn't even one small pair while yor
hold royal straight flush.
AS Brother Brysn says. I'VE ar.
the people. and our government i.
J by the people and for the people. 4"
Let's call the bluff. and if there ara
20 desirable Candidates among The
rummies, let's take the office tc