SECURITIES (Tables)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2017

SECURITIES [Abstract]

Amortized Cost And Estimated Fair Values Of Available-For-Sale Securities

		June 30, 2017
			Gross	Gross	Estimated
		Amortized	Unrealized	Unrealized	Fair
		Cost	Gains	Losses	Value
	(In thousands)
U.S. Government agencies		$   1,718,885	$           433	$        5,944	$   1,713,374
U.S. Government agency issued residential mortgage-backed securities		159,617	1,255	1,626	159,246
U.S. Government agency issued commercial mortgage-backed securities		170,129	1,557	1,044	170,642
Obligations of states and political subdivisions		331,251	15,210	1,331	345,130
FHLB and other securities		32,651	252	-	32,903
Total		$   2,412,533	$      18,707	$        9,945	$   2,421,295

		December 31, 2016
			Gross	Gross	Estimated
		Amortized	Unrealized	Unrealized	Fair
		Cost	Gains	Losses	Value
	(In thousands)
U.S. Government agencies		$   1,794,231	$        1,261	$        6,065	$   1,789,427
U.S. Government agency issued residential  mortgage-backed securities		176,476	1,665	1,898	176,243
U.S. Government agency issued commercial mortgage-backed securities		171,840	1,648	1,209	172,279
Obligations of states and political subdivisions		346,609	15,547	2,151	360,005
FHLB and other securities		32,436	1,286	-	33,722
Total		$   2,521,592	$      21,407	$      11,323	$   2,531,676

	June 30, 2016
		Gross	Gross	Estimated
	Amortized	Unrealized	Unrealized	Fair
	Cost	Gains	Losses	Value
	(In thousands)
U.S. Government agencies	$   1,302,238	$        8,565	$                -	$   1,310,803
U.S. Government agency issued residential mortgage-backed securities	177,195	3,066	83	180,178
U.S. Government agency issued commercial mortgage-backed securities	188,222	5,268	15	193,475
Obligations of states and political subdivisions	374,134	25,263	6	399,391
FHLB and other securities	19,173	863	-	20,036
Total	$   2,060,962	$      43,025	$           104	$   2,103,883

Amortized Cost And Estimated Fair Value Of Available-For-Sale Securities By Contractual Maturity

	June 30, 2017
		Estimated	Weighted
	Amortized	Fair	Average
	Cost	Value	Yield
	(Dollars in thousands)
Maturing in one year or less	$      588,844	$      588,532	1.14	%
Maturing after one year through five years	1,211,049	1,206,605	1.37
Maturing after five years through ten years	55,472	56,682	5.78
Maturing after ten years	227,422	239,588	5.49
Mortgage-backed securities	329,746	329,888	2.16
Total	$   2,412,533	$   2,421,295

Temporarily Impaired Available-For-Sale Securities With Continuous Unrealized Loss Positions

	June 30, 2017
	Continuous Unrealized Loss Position
	Less Than 12 Months		12 Months or Longer		Total
	Fair	Unrealized	Fair	Unrealized	Fair	Unrealized
	Value	Losses	Value	Losses	Value	Losses
	(In thousands)
U.S. Government agencies	$  1,381,118	$        5,944	$                -	$                -	$  1,381,118	$        5,944
U.S. Government agency issued residential mortgage-backed securities	83,628	1,467	7,443	159	91,071	1,626
U.S. Government agency issued commercial mortgage-backed securities	124,824	937	13,594	107	138,418	1,044
Obligations of states and political subdivisions	20,425	1,331	-	-	20,425	1,331
Total	$  1,609,995	$        9,679	$      21,037	$           266	$  1,631,032	$        9,945

	December 31, 2016
	Continuous Unrealized Loss Position
	Less Than 12 Months		12 Months or Longer		Total
	Fair	Unrealized	Fair	Unrealized	Fair	Unrealized
	Value	Losses	Value	Losses	Value	Losses
	(In thousands)
U.S. Government agencies	$  1,082,573	$        6,065	$                -	$                -	$  1,082,573	$        6,065
U.S. Government agency issued residential mortgage-backed securities	71,599	1,783	15,375	115	86,974	1,898
U.S. Government agency issued commercial mortgage-backed securities	129,940	1,084	14,385	125	144,325	1,209
Obligations of states and political subdivisions	46,798	2,151	-	-	46,798	2,151
Total	$  1,330,910	$      11,083	$      29,760	$           240	$  1,360,670	$      11,323