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                                  UNITED STATES

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

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                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

       DATE OF REPORT (DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT REPORTED): OCTOBER 23, 2003



                           SOUTHSIDE BANCSHARES, INC.
             (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)



                                      TEXAS
         (STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF INCORPORATION OR ORGANIZATION)

                                     0-12247
                            (COMMISSION FILE NUMBER)

                                   75-1848732
                      (I.R.S. EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NO.)

                                 1201 S. BECKHAM
                                  TYLER, TEXAS
                    (ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)

                                      75701
                                   (ZIP CODE)

                                 (903) 531-7111
              (REGISTRANT'S TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE)


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ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

(c) EXHIBITS.

         The following exhibit is filed herewith:

EXHIBIT NO.                     DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT

   99.1           Press Release dated October 23, 2003 with respect to the
                  Registrant's financial results for the third quarter and nine
                  months ended September 30, 2003

ITEM 12.  RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL CONDITION

On October 23, 2003, the Registrant announced financial results for the third
quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2003, reporting earnings of $2.75
million and $9.5 million, respectively and diluted earnings per common share of
$0.26 and $0.91, respectively. A copy of the press release announcing the
Registrant's results for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30,
2003 is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated by reference herein.
The press release includes information regarding interest income on a taxable
equivalent basis or FTE. FTE is a non-GAAP performance measure used by
management in operating the business which management believes provides
investors with a more accurate picture of the interest yield, spread and margin
for comparative purposes.



                                    SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                          SOUTHSIDE BANCSHARES, INC.

Date:  October 23, 2003                   By:      /s/  Lee R. Gibson
                                             ----------------------------------
                                          Lee R. Gibson
                                          Executive Vice President and
                                          Chief Financial Officer


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX



EXHIBIT NO.       DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT
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    99.1          Press Release dated October 23, 2003 with respect to the
                  Registrant's financial results for the third quarter and nine
                  months ended September 30, 2003.