Remarks on the Governing Articles of the Constitution.
In regard to Article X., some feminine readers may wonder why I have placed the husbands of the co-operative housekeepers as the highest authority of the whole society. For one thing, because it is perfectly evident that, in this world at least, "the man is the head of the woman," and will probably continue so for some time to come. Being our governors, no such enterprise as co-operative housekeeping could be started or sustained without their sympathy and consent; and as they have now the power of veto on our housekeeping arrangements by virtue of being also our bread-winners, so, as their funds alone would sustain co-operative housekeeping, they would have the same power there. We should simply have to trust, as we do now, that our reasonableness and good judgment and study to please them would, in general, be such as to shield us from blame and opposition; and as "in the multitude of counsellors there is safety," we should be much more likely to find out the best and cheapest ways of doing everything than we are now, when each must experiment upon the whole range of housewifery duties for herself.
But, beside these, I will admit, rather slavish and material grounds, there is a higher that would influence me, even if these did not exist. It is that I believe all human undertakings would be much more perfect if the direct judgment and energy of both sexes were brought to bear upon them. This, of course, is not the opinion of men; for they ask our advice and assistance in nothing but what they hate to do themselves,—i.e. religious and charitable work. But I should be sorry to have women repeat what I am sure is their mistake. Everybody knows how much sweeter and easier it is to do something for the opposite sex than it is for one's own; and co-operative housekeepers, by having the direct masculine influence present in their undertaking through the half-yearly investigation of their husbands, would act with greater zeal, energy, and accuracy, give way
