INCOME TAXES (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

INCOME TAXES [Abstract]

Income Tax Allocation

	2016	2015	2014
	(In thousands)
Income tax expense	$        63,716	$        59,248	$        50,652
Shareholders' equity for other comprehensive income (loss)	(5,655)	1,145	(8,481)
Shareholders' equity for stock option plans	(1,484)	(1,079)	(1,856)
Total	$        56,577	$        59,314	$        40,315

Components Of Income Tax (Benefit) Expense

	2016	2015	2014
Current:	(In thousands)
Federal	$        46,836	$        62,369	$        51,014
State	6,359	8,235	7,201
Deferred:
Federal	9,361	(10,391)	(6,870)
State	1,160	(965)	(693)
Total	$        63,716	$        59,248	$        50,652

Income Tax Reconciliation

	2016	2015	2014
	(In thousands)
Tax expense at statutory rates	$        68,755	$        65,359	$        58,591
Increase (decrease) in taxes resulting from:
State income taxes, net of federal tax benefit	4,875	4,709	4,230
Tax-exempt interest revenue	(6,269)	(6,881)	(7,371)
Tax-exempt earnings on life insurance	(2,655)	(2,589)	(3,076)
Deductible dividends paid on 401(k) plan	(737)	(617)	(458)
Tax credits	(1,999)	(1,871)	(1,771)
Penalties	1,065	1	-
Meals and entertainment	469	481	486
Other, net	212	656	21
Total	$        63,716	$        59,248	$        50,652

Deferred Tax Assets and Deferred Tax Liabilities

	2016	2015
Deferred tax assets:	(In thousands)
Loans, principally due to allowance for credit losses	$        46,721	$        47,825
Other real estate owned	989	3,069
Mark to market - securities	4,153	4,160
Accrued liabilities, principally due to
compensation arrangements and vacation accruals	15,149	24,153
Other	84	106
Unrecognized pension expense	35,407	34,654
Total gross deferred tax assets	102,503	113,967
Less:  valuation allowance	-	-
Deferred tax assets	$      102,503	$      113,967
Deferred tax liabilities:
Lease transactions	$        14,302	$        18,868
Employment benefits	1,382	736
Premises and equipment, principally due
to differences in depreciation	17,418	19,294
Mortgage servicing rights	24,638	21,652
Intangible assets	11,972	11,310
Investments, principally due to interest income recognition	1,974	2,387
Deferred loan points	6,065	4,785
Other assets, principally due to expense recognition	9	9
Unrealized net gains on available-for-sale securities	3,861	8,764
Total gross deferred tax liabilities	81,621	87,805
Net deferred tax assets	$        20,882	$        26,162