The upcoming year will provide us all with plenty of time to ponder the terrorist threat, the need for tax cuts, and the outcome of the presidential election in America. But as we pause to celebrate the passing of 2003 and the onset of 2004, it’s worth stepping back a bit to remark on the growth of the nation’s economy in the year that was, and on the spread of freedom to Iraq. Both were remarkable achievements. The year saw the passing of some friends of ours — major New York figures in business, philanthropy, politics, and journalism. It also saw the loss of American soldiers in the struggle to liberate Iraq.

America is a country that believes in progress and we venture to say that New Yorkers believe in it more than most. The new immigrants and newborn children that arrived in this city in 2003 will, we hope, help to make 2004 and the years that follow even better than the year that just passed. Here at The New York Sun, we are grateful for a year that saw substantial circulation growth and new features and columnists added to the paper. But the main thing, on New Year’s Eve, is to wish all of our readers and advertisers and sources and the whole New York Sun family a happy and healthy 2004.