<P> Mary Elizabeth Lease ( September 11 , 1850 -- October 29 , 1933 ) was an American lecturer , writer , and political activist . She was an advocate of the suffrage movement as well as temperance but she was best known for her work with the Populist party . She was born to Irish immigrants Joseph P. and Mary Elizabeth ( Murray ) Clyens , in Ridgway , Pennsylvania . In 1895 , she wrote The Problem of Civilization Solved , and in 1896 , she moved to New York City where she edited the democratic newspaper , World . In addition , she worked as an editor for the National Encyclopedia of American Biography . Mary Elizabeth Lease was also known as Mary Ellen Lease . She was called `` Queen Mary '' ( after the British Queen consort , Mary of Teck ) , `` Mother Lease '' by her supporters and `` Mary Yellin '' by her enemies . Lease died in Callicoon , New York . </P>
was the most famous female orator of the farmer 's alliance and populist party in the late 1800s
Mary Elizabeth Lease