<TABLE>


                                                                     Exhibit 12a

                STATEMENT SETTING FORTH COMPUTATIONS OF RATIOS OF
                            EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
                             (Dollars in Thousands)

<CAPTION>

                               12 Months
                               Ending
                               September                           Year Ended December 31,
                               30, 1998         1997         1996         1995         1994         1993
                              ---------         ----         ----         ----         ----         ----
<S>                           <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>           <C>         <C>

EARNINGS AVAILABLE FOR
 FIXED CHARGES
  Pre-tax income:
   Income from continuing
    operations per
    statement of income       $ 154,246    $ 125,698    $ 167,351    $ 128,382     $ 79,312    $ 163,812
    Federal income taxes        100,371       47,725      107,747       91,519       74,816       93,702
    Federal income taxes
     charged to other
     income - net                (1,270)      11,876       (1,608)     (12,068)      22,687         (418)
   Capitalized interest            (211)        (360)        (600)        (660)        (400)        (791)
   Undistributed
    (earnings) or losses
    of less-than-fifty-
    percent-owned entities          --          (608)         460        8,325          743           --
--------------------------    ---------    ---------    ---------    ---------    ---------    ---------
    Total                     $ 253,136    $ 184,331    $ 273,350    $ 215,498    $ 177,158    $ 256,305

 Fixed charges:
  Interest expense            $ 139,412    $ 123,439    $ 122,635    $ 131,346    $ 126,555    $ 120,962
  Other interest                    211          360          600          660          400          791
  Portion of rentals 
   representative of the
    interest factor               2,827        3,143        4,187        5,150        5,555        5,570
--------------------------    ---------    ---------    ---------    ---------    ---------    ---------  
    Total                     $ 142,450    $ 126,942    $ 127,422    $ 137,156    $ 132,510    $ 127,323

 Earnings available for
  combined fixed charges      $ 395,586    $ 311,273    $ 400,772    $ 352,654    $ 309,668    $ 383,628
                              =========    =========    =========    =========    =========    =========

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO
 FIXED CHARGES                    2.78x        2.45x        3.15x        2.57x        2.34x        3.01x


</TABLE>

<PAGE>

<TABLE>

                                                                     Exhibit 12b

                STATEMENT SETTING FORTH COMPUTATIONS OF RATIOS OF
                            EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
                             (Dollars in Thousands)

<CAPTION>
                              12 Months
                                 Ending
                              September             Year Ended December 31,
                               30, 1998         1997         1996         1995         1994         1993
                              ---------         ----         ----         ----         ----         ---- 
<S>                           <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>           <C>         <C>
EARNINGS AVAILABLE FOR
 COMBINED FIXED CHARGES
 AND PREFERRED DIVIDEND
 REQUIREMENTS
  Pre-tax income:
   Income from continuing      $154,246     $125,698     $167,351     $128,382     $ 79,312     $163,812
    operations per
    statement of income
    Federal income taxes        100,371       47,725      107,747       91,519       74,816       93,702
    Federal income taxes
     charged to other
     income - net                (1,270)      11,876       (1,608)     (12,068)      22,687         (418)
                               --------     --------     --------     --------     --------    ---------
     Subtotal                   253,347      185,299      273,490      207,833      176,815      257,096
  Capitalized interest             (211)        (360)        (600)        (660)        (400)        (791)
   Undistributed
    (earnings) or losses
    of less-than-fifty-
    percent-owned entities           --         (608)         460        8,325          743           --
                               --------     --------     --------     --------     --------     --------     
    Total                      $253,136     $184,331     $273,350     $215,498     $177,158     $256,305

 Fixed charges:
  Interest expense             $139,412     $123,439     $122,635     $131,346     $126,555     $120,962
  Other interest                    211          360          600          660          400          791
  Portion of rentals
   representative of the
    interest factor               2,827        3,143        4,187        5,150        5,555        5,570
                               --------     --------     --------     --------     --------     --------
    Total                      $142,450     $126,942     $127,422     $137,156     $132,510     $127,323

 Earnings available for
  combined fixed charges
  and preferred dividend
  requirements                 $395,586     $311,273     $400,772     $352,654     $309,668     $383,628
                               ========     ========     ========     ========     ========     ========

DIVIDEND REQUIREMENT:
  Fixed charges above          $142,450     $126,942     $127,422     $137,156     $132,510     $127,323
  Preferred dividend
    requirements below           21,533       26,250       36,249       36,674       45,441       29,904
                               --------     --------     --------     --------     --------     --------
      Total                    $163,983     $153,192     $163,671     $173,830     $177,951     $157,227
                               ========     ========     ========     ========     ========     ========


</TABLE>


<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                              12 Months
                                 Ending
                              September             Year Ended December 31,
                               30, 1998         1997         1996         1995         1994         1993
                              ---------         ----         ----         ----         ----         ----
<S>                           <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>           <C>         <C>
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO
  COMBINED FIXED CHARGES
  AND PREFERRED DIVIDEND
  REQUIREMENTS                     2.41         2.03         2.45         2.03         1.74         2.44

COMPUTATION OF PREFERRED
  DIVIDEND REQUIREMENTS:
  (a) Pre-tax income           $253,347     $185,299     $273,490     $207,833     $176,815     $257,096
  (b) Income from
      continuing
      operations               $154,246     $125,698     $167,351     $128,382      $79,312     $163,812
  (c) Ratio of (a) to (b)        1.6425       1.4742       1.6342       1.6189       2.2294       1.5695
  (d) Preferred dividends       $13,110      $17,806      $22,181      $22,654      $20,383      $19,054
  Preferred dividend
   requirements
   [(d) multiplied by (c)]      $21,533      $26,250      $36,249      $36,674      $45,441      $29,904

</TABLE>