The present Collector of Internal Revenue is Mr FE Coyne, who was appointed in the position in the fall of 1897.

Frederick E Coyne, collector of internal revenue, was born at East Orange, New Jersey, in 1860, and received his early education in that city. Leaving school while still young, he engaged in various occupations until he reached the age of 19, when, following the oft-quoted and sage advice of Horace Greeley, he came West to grow up with the country. But in this instance the West was not growing fast enough to suit Mr Coyne, and he returned east, where he remained until 1883, when he again ventured West, and this time took up his permanent location in Chicago.

After clerking for a short time, Mr Coyne opened a small bakery on North State Street, and, as he met with considerable success, he was able to enlarge his business and later to purchase the old Dennett restaurant on Madison Street, near La Salle, which he turned into a bakery lunchroom, and which he still conducts. He is also the proprietor of a lunchroom at 179 Lake Street and of a large wholesale bakery business, at the same place, from whence bread is daily distributed to all parts of the city and adjacent towns.

Mr Coyne is a thorough - going and positive Republican, and, as he is of that strong, rugged type that wins success in spite of all obstacles to the contrary, he had been a most valuable and trustworthy man in the councils of his party. He is one of the original McKinley men, and it is

a matter of history that on that night of the November election in 1892 he prophesied the nomination and the election of Major McKinley by the Republican party four years hence. Although he has never been a candidate for an elective office, and has never held a public trust other than that he is now so ably fills, Mr Coyne has taken a prominent part in the campaigsn of the Republican party, and has been a most influential factor in many of them. It will be remembered that in the campaign preceding the election of Senator William E Mason as the successor of Trumbull and Douglas, that Mr Coyne was the directing head in a series of moves that resulted in a triumphant victory for the Republican party. It was a splendid instance of what energy and perseverance can accomplish. Mr Coyne's personality is also felt in local and state politics, and he was for two years president of the 12th Ward Republican Club.

In August 1897, President McKinley gave evidence of his warm appreciation of Mr Coyne's ability and integrity by appointing him to the most responsible position of collector of Internal Revenue. The usual amount of collections of this office averages about $5,000,000 annually, but the addition of the war revenue law increased the work of the office to a great extent, and the collections have increased to about 3 times that sum. These additional burdens have been largely borne by Mr Coyne, but the increased responsibilities have in no way interfered with the prompt discharge of the duties of his office.

Mr Coyne was married in 1886 to Miss Pauline Niehaus of Chicago, and they have a family of four children.