INCOME TAXES (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

INCOME TAXES [Abstract]

Income Tax Allocation

	2015	2014	2013
	(In thousands)
Income tax expense	$        59,248	$        50,652	$        37,551
Shareholders' equity for other comprehensive income (loss)	1,145	(8,481)	(13,249)
Shareholders' equity for stock option plans	(1,079)	(1,856)	(139)
Total	$        59,314	$        40,315	$        24,163

Components Of Income Tax (Benefit) Expense

	2015	2014	2013
Current:	(In thousands)
Federal	$        62,369	$        51,014	$        32,729
State	8,235	7,201	1,570
Deferred:
Federal	(10,391)	(6,870)	1,774
State	(965)	(693)	1,478
Total	$        59,248	$        50,652	$        37,551

Income Tax Reconciliation

	2015	2014	2013
	(In thousands)
Tax expense at statutory rates	$        65,359	$        58,591	$        46,083
Increase (decrease) in taxes resulting from:
State income taxes, net of federal tax benefit	4,709	4,230	1,926
Tax-exempt interest revenue	(6,881)	(7,371)	(7,423)
Tax-exempt earnings on life insurance	(2,589)	(3,076)	(2,889)
Deductible dividends paid on 401(k) plan	(617)	(458)	(187)
Tax credits	(1,871)	(1,771)	(578)
Meals and entertainment	481	486	489
Other, net	657	21	130
Total	$        59,248	$        50,652	$        37,551

Deferred Tax Assets and Deferred Tax Liabilities

	2015	2014
Deferred tax assets:	(In thousands)
Loans, principally due to allowance for credit losses	$        47,825	$        53,922
Other real estate owned	3,069	4,605
Mark to market - securities	4,160	4,164
Accrued liabilities, principally due to
compensation arrangements and vacation accruals	24,153	17,877
Other	106	129
Unrecognized pension expense	34,654	39,428
Total gross deferred tax assets	113,967	120,125
Less:  valuation allowance	-	-
Deferred tax assets	$      113,967	$      120,125
Deferred tax liabilities:
Lease transactions	$        18,868	$        25,033
Employment benefits	736	7,435
Premises and equipment, principally due
to differences in depreciation	19,294	21,845
Mortgage servicing rights	21,652	19,409
Intangible assets	11,310	11,024
Investments, principally due to interest income recognition	2,387	592
Deferred loan points	4,785	3,851
Other assets, principally due to expense recognition	9	959
Unrealized net gains on available-for-sale securities	8,764	12,393
Total gross deferred tax liabilities	87,805	102,541
Net deferred tax assets	$        26,162	$        17,584

Activity In Unrecognized Tax Benefits

	2015	2014	2013
	(In thousands)
Unrecognized tax benefit, January 1	$              -	$              -	$      1,571
Gross increases - tax positions in prior period	-	-	-
Gross decreases - tax positions in prior period	-	-	(1,571)
Gross increases - tax positions in current period	-	-	-
Settlements	-	-	-
Lapse of statute of limitations	-	-	-
Unrecognized tax benefit, December 31	$              -	$              -	$              -