5. What are the arguments for and against granting government subsidies for the upbuilding of the merchant marine? 6. What have been the principal reasons for the decline of the American carrying trade? 7. What is the amount of money annually appropriated for improving the rivers and harbors of the country? 8. How has the commerce clause of the Constitution been the source of important extensions of the power of the national government? Mention some important recent acts of Congress that have been passed in pursuance of this clause. 9. Should Congress, in your judgment, impose greater restrictions upon immigration than it now imposes? 10. Do you think Congress should have power to regulate the business of life insurance? To regulate marriage and divorce? 11. Is the policy of governmental regulation of railroads preferable to governmental ownership? Give your reasons. CHAPTER XIV OTHER IMPORTANT POWERS OF CONGRESS THE POST OFFICE, COPYRIGHTS, PATENTS, THE ARMY, THE NAVY, ETC. =The Postal Service.=--The beginnings of the postal service in the United States date back to the action of the Continental Congress in creating a post office department in 1775, and appointing Benjamin Franklin as its head. Under Franklin's direction postal routes were established throughout the colonies and the mails were carried over them at intervals of one or two weeks. In 1776 there were twenty-eight post offices located in the more important towns. The Constitution gave Congress power to establish post offices and post roads, and when the new government was established, the postal service was reorganized and extended. In 1790, however, there were only seventy-five post offices in the thirteen states, and less than 2,000 miles of post roads. The total revenues were only $37,000, and the expenditures only $32,000. Now there are more than 60,000 offices and over 25,000 different routes, with an aggregate mileage of about 450,000 miles. A recent postmaster-general has well said: "The postal establishment of the United States is the greatest business concern in the world. It handles more pieces, employs more men, spends more money, brings more revenue, uses more agencies, reaches more homes, involves more details, and touches more interests than any other human organization, public or private, governmental or corporate." Some idea of the magnitude of the service may be gained from the fact that during the year 1919 about twenty billion pieces of mail were handled, more than $1,000,000,000 worth of domestic money orders were issued, and more than 120,000,000 articles were registered. The receipts for the year 1919 aggregated $364,847,126, and the expenditures $362,497,635.